Dental Exams
Tigard, OR
If you are sitting in one of our lovely padded dental chairs, you may be wondering why you have to have one of us examine you. If you have perfected your technique for brushing and flossing, you may think you really don’t have to see a dentist. However, we are here to tell you dental exams are very important for preventative medicine. Let Lincoln Center Smiles give you more information on the importance of dental exams.
Why Are Dental Exams Important?
We know that you probably see your body and your mouth as two separate entities. That’s because you see two different types of doctors, one for your body as a whole, and one for your mouth. Instead of thinking these two parts of your body are separate, consider them as pieces of a larger you. Not only does your overall quality of health affect your dental health, but your dental health can affect your overall health as well. Dental exams are just as important as your annual physical exams. In fact, in some cases, they may be more important.
Suppose you are living with a chronic disease, such as asthma. Many asthmatics use inhalers to maintain their airways. However, your use of inhalers might be having a detrimental effect on your body. You may be drying your mouth out, which could cause a fungal infection called thrush. Inhaler use can also dry your mouth out and give you bad breath. This means that bacteria could be thriving in your mouth. We will be able to suggestions for things you can do to make your mouth moister and treat your thrush.
We also check your mouth during cleaning for signs of serious trouble, such as oral cancer. The earlier that conditions are caught, the more quickly we can get you into treatment. There are other issues in your mouth besides oral cancer, however. You may have signs of early gum disease. If we can catch gum disease early, we can make sure you brush and floss correctly to prevent it. We can also treat your gums for infection. The earlier we catch problems, the better off you will be.
What Happens During A Dental Exam?
While each dental exam is different, there are some general guidelines. We look at all of your mouth structures to make sure that you don’t have a problem. We clean and check your teeth and gums for signs of disease. We will also ask if you are having issues with your mouth, such as pain in your jaw, headaches, or toothaches. All of these could symbolize a problem. If we notice a pattern with brushing and flossing that may cause an issue down the road, we will let you know. For example, you may be brushing too hard on a few of your teeth, which causes your enamel to break down. We may suggest you change your toothbrush or use a different brushing method.
Do you have questions about dental exams? Are you worried about going to the dentist? We promise it is not as bad as you think it is. Give Lincoln Center Smiles a call at (503) 598-0898 and let us schedule a time to see you about your dental exams and your dental health.
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