The Dental Checkup
There are quite a few things in our body which don't receive attention from us at all. Poor teeth! They are there right in the mouth. You see them as often as you see your face in the mirror. They are indeed responsible for your beautiful smile and confidence. Other than once or twice a day customary superficial brushing, which is done more like fulfilling a formality, they seldom get our care and protection. They need to develop a sensitive cavity, or a throbbing pain, or a severe loss of outer enamel covering, for us to turn our attention to them. They deserve something much more than an emergency fire-fighting kind of care. Pain or no pain, cavity or otherwise, we need to visit our dentist periodically to take care of our teeth which assure us a good overall health.
Teeth and Oral Hygiene
How often we should visit the dentist ? The Answer is 'Every 6 months'. Our lifestyle and habits have a direct bearing on our dental health. The consumption of alcohol and tobacco, not only stain the teeth, but also cause gum diseases and periodontal dental diseases due to poor oral hygiene. The study released by the Indian Dental Association reveal that the bacteria found in the mouth which are associated with gum diseases may be linked to heart disease, artery blockage and stroke. Therefore regular dental checkups will help to keep the gums healthy and help in detecting the problems of gum, teeth, oral cancer and dental cavities well in advance.
Oral Dental Checkups
When we say oral dental checkup, we mean that visiting a dentist and have everything like, teeth, gum and the entire mouth cavity examined and checked regularly, so that problems, if any, can be detected at the earliest in a primitive stage. These checkups include:
- Cleaning and Polishing: This is done in order to remove tarter from the teeth using special instruments called a hand scaler or an ultrasonic dental instrument. Polishing is done with the help of a rotating rubber cup or brush for further cleaning and removal of stains.
- Education: Educating how to take care of the teeth will enable maintaining healthy teeth and gum. It may include the right way of brushing and flossing the teeth.
- Examination: It mainly includes checking the teeth, gum and the mouth region. More intently, the dentist may examine the area between the teeth and the areas between teeth and gum. For further checkups orthodontists or periodontists may be referred.
- X-rays: A proper x-ray is taken by the dentist to look for decay, gum disease or any other dental problems.
Key points to Remember at the Checkups
Dentists do know their jobs. Nevertheless if we are also aware of the procedure it can doubly ensure that nothing is left to chance. Some important points to remember when we go for dental checkup:
- It is important to check every concern and problem with the dentist, however small or insignificant they may appear to you.
- Make it a point to discuss every medical problem which has been diagnosed with the dentist.
- Discuss the medication, the dosage and the period under medication with the dentist, so that any anxiety over any dental or other medical problem can be taken into consideration.
- Do not hesitate to bring to notice of any small change or problem in your teeth or gum.
People with a high risk for dental problems need to visit their dentists more often like once in three to four months. These people who run a higher risk for dental problems are:
- Smokers,
- Diabetics,
- People with current gum diseases,
- People with weak responses to bacterial infection, and
- People who tend to develop cavities and scales more frequently.
Tips for Better Oral Health
- Brush your teeth both morning and night to keep the cavities at bay. The routine habit does not allow plaque to sit between your teeth. Daily flossing is very important because floss can reach spots which cannot be accessed by tooth brushes. This can totally check forming of plaque altogether.
- Brushing carelessly or inappropriately may result in hurting the gum and bad breath.
- food stuff with high sugars and aerated drinks greatly affect the oral health, therefore, you need to avoid them.
- Never use painkillers like aspirins for toothaches as they tend to burn the gum, increasing the pain further.
- Gargle with a mouth-wash regularly before bedtime.
The way to a good oral hygiene is very simple and easy to follow. Once these disciplines are imbibed, there may not be any deterioration, and the regular visits to the dentist can help in maintaining the good condition. Further these visits are mandatory to detect any irregularity or disorder at the earliest.
Dr.Pooja Shah
