You most likely have heard the phrase “dental exams are essential to a healthy smile”. While that is true, dental exams are also essential to avoid dental emergencies. Understanding why your dentist urges you to schedule regular dental exams is critical. To learn how regular dental exams can prevent a dental emergency from arising, especially during our recent pandemic, continue reading.
What Does a Dental Exam Involve?
Firstly, before we can discuss the correlation between dental exams and the prevention of dental emergencies, let’s describe what occurs during a dental exam. Generally, a dental exam is conducted by your Edmonton dentist alongside a dental cleaning. The purpose of a dental cleaning is to eliminate bacteria, tartar, or plaque in your mouth.
A rigorous examination performed by your dentist, on the other hand, involves a visual inspection for signs of decay, damage, and oral cancer. For a more in-depth look at your teeth, jaw, and overall mouth, the dentist near you may also take a number of X-rays. These X-rays reveal what your dentist can’t see with their naked eye. The sooner these problems are detected; the sooner your dentist can address them. Without regular dental exams, you aren’t aware of what’s happening in your mouth. Rather than relying on your dentist to determine an issue, instead, you’ll wait until you feel pain or notice an abnormality. At this point, the problem has likely advanced, when it could have been treated all along if you were to have scheduled a dental exam.
Prevention and Detection
Undoubtedly, brushing and flossing regularly is the most effective way to protect your teeth. However, even the most meticulous brusher and flosser can be left with plaque and tartar buildup. When buildup occurs, only a dental professional can remove it. The longer you wait to remove the buildup, the higher your risk of gum disease. The early stage of this disease is reversible, but only when necessary measures are taken—in other words, regular oral care and checkups.
When you visit your Edmonton dental clinic for a dental exam, they make every effort to assess the soft tissues in your mouth. Your dentist can stop gum disease and oral cancer, in their tracks during an early diagnosis following a dental exam. Don’t wait until alarming symptoms begin to appear that call for emergency dental care. A regular dental exam at your dental clinic in Edmonton, AB T6L 6W6 can ensure abnormalities don’t go unnoticed. According to research, there is a link between poor oral health and physical conditions such as diabetes and stroke. When you visit your dentist regularly for a dental exam, this not only ensures your teeth are healthy, but your dentist will also examine for warning signs of any additional health problems. Not only will this prevent you from having to seek emergency dental care, but it can also prevent you from landing yourself in the emergency room at a hospital.
Preventing Emergency Care During a Pandemic
The COVID-19 lockdown has demonstrated the necessity for dental exams to avoid dental emergencies. A very small percentage of patients who scheduled regular dental exams and completed their recommended dental treatment-experienced dental emergencies during the lockdown. This excludes patients whose dental emergencies were related to facial trauma caused by an accident. Regular dental exams are a critical aspect of preventive health care. Visiting your dentist for a dental exam every six months or sooner can prevent a dental emergency from arising at the most unexpected times. Don’t wait until a dental emergency to visit your dental clinic in Edmonton, schedule your dental exam today!
