Dentists recommend undergoing a dental exam at least twice a year. Exams are crucial for maintaining optimum oral health, as well as helping your dental care team identify any possible issues so you can receive timely treatment. If you’re thinking about getting a dental exam sometime soon, here’s a brief overview of what you can expect.

4 Essential Parts of a Dental Exam

Teeth Cleaning

Teeth cleaning is the most important part of your dental exam. Even with daily brushing and flossing, plaque and bacteria may still linger on your teeth. Your dentist uses special tools during the cleaning to remove plaque from the places you might not be able to reach at home. They can also remove tartar, the hardened version of plaque. Tartar is impossible to remove on your own, and it will contribute to decay if left unchecked. Your dentist can also provide a fluoride treatment during cleanings, which enhances the strength of your enamel.

X-Ray

Although not all exams include x-rays, it’s worth seeing if you can include them in your exam, since they’re a great tool for encouraging healthy dental development. X-rays can identify impacted teeth or provide insight into misalignments, which will need to be remedied to prevent more serious dental issues. X-rays also help your dental team check the health of your jaw bone; this can degrade over time, especially as you grow older.

Oral Cancer Screening

Dental exams increasingly feature oral cancer screenings. Your dentist will look for any suspicious growths or bumps to ensure all instances of oral cancer are addressed as soon as possible. The early cancer is caught, the better the overall prognosis. This is why these screenings are such an important part of dental exams.

Questions and Tips

During your exam, make sure you ask your dentist any questions you have about at-home dental care. You may be brushing and flossing incorrectly, and this can affect the quality of your oral hygiene. Your dentist can address any of your dental concerns during this exam, so make sure to take this opportunity to ask them anything that’s on your mind.

Whether you want to schedule a bi-annual dental exam or need more extensive treatment, Bethel Family Dentistry of Bethel, OH, is here to help. With an emphasis on preventative care, these dentists will help you keep things like decay and gum disease at bay. They also offer restorative procedures, such as root canals, which allow you to preserve your natural tooth. Call (513) 734-2029 today to schedule an appointment. You can also visit them online for more helpful oral care tips.