Sometimes brushing and flossing is not enough to maintain good oral health. You cannot always see the decay and disease lurking in the recesses of your mouth. That is why Sacramento dentists recommend regular dental checkups. Routine visits to your dentist can prevent problems with your oral health before they pose potentially serious problems to your overall physical health.

During any routine office visit, the dentist visually inspects your teeth and gums for disease. To do this, the dentist may look for signs of bleeding, bone loss or inflammation. Your dentist may probe the surface of your teeth to check for tackiness, or early signs of decay that an x-ray may not pick up. The X-rays that patients usually receive detect problems below the surface and around the gums. The dentist looks for evidence of cavities, gingivitis, plaque and tartar. He also examines the condition of fillings and other dental work. The staff will chart the dentist’s findings and add this information to your patient history.

The main advantage of regular checkups is the ability to compare the dentist’s most current findings with those from previous dental checkups. With this information, the dentist can detect changes in oral health and make a diagnosis. From there, he can prescribe a treatment plan that may include self-care, cleanings or procedures. With early detection, patients avoid painful trips to an emergency dentist later.

Another advantage of regular checkups is the prevention of gum disease. Gum disease is the most prevalent cause of tooth loss in adults. Regular checkups and cleanings stave off gum disease, which helps you retain your natural teeth longer. The longer you keep your natural teeth, the longer you put off dentures and other dental prosthesis.

Regular checkups are also advantageous for the early detection of underlying medical conditions. For example, as the dentist examines the skin around the mouth, he may spot mouth sores that signal oral cancer. The dentist may suspect that a patient’s poor oral health is caused by the high blood sugar associated with diabetes and may recommend further testing. There is no telling how many lives have been saved by routine dental checkups.

Sacramento dentists recommend checkups at least twice a year to promote optimum oral health. If you need to see an emergency dentist between checkups, help is just a click away. There is a Sacramento emergency dentist available to effectively treat the problem and provide pain relief.