Visits to your oral surgeon in Mission Viejo CA are crucial for not just your well-being and health, but also for maintaining your beautiful smile. Yearly dentist visits are important because they allow your dentist to find any dental concerns in its early stages, and take care of them before they become a serious issue. 

It is recommended that a child has their first dentist visit when their first tooth begins to grow in, and then every 6 months afterward or as advised. The frequency of visits to the dentist is to help them become comfortable in the patient chair. It is recommended that adults also visit every 6 months, however, it is also likely that they may require more regular visits to care for cavities, gingivitis, and tartar. 

What to Expect at a Dental Visit

New patients will have to fill out a health and medical questionnaire to notify the dentist of any prior dental concerns, as well as other health concerns, that could affect a specific approach to your dental care. 

Once in the patient chair, most dentist visits start with a teeth cleaning. Brushing your teeth and flossing at home isn’t enough to prevent tartar buildup on its own. Your dentist has specialized tools to ensure that this gets taken care of.

Your x-ray may be taken. X-rays are solely taken to find any dental problems, such as cavities. If you are not experiencing any discomfort, or your dentist does not see any areas of problems,  your dental x-ray may be skipped until your next visit or so. 

Once your teeth have been cleaned and your x-rays have been reviewed, your dentist will begin the dental exam. This is to identify dental decay, gum disease, and any other concerns in the neck, face, and mouth. 

Five Benefits of Dental Visits Every 6 Months

Aside from the plain benefits of a fresh-clean feeling mouth, dedicated dental support also has a wide range of positive side-effects for your health.

Detecting Dental Problems and Other Oral Concerns

Your dentist can identify any warning signs of gum disease, tooth decay, cavities, and oral cancer. When these are caught in its early stages, immediate care can be taken to correct or fix these issues. If cosmetic or specialty care services are required, they can recommend your next step.

Help You Sleep Through the Night

50-70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. Some sleep problems are actually the side-effects of dental concerns. Pain and discomfort could make it difficult to fall asleep whereas teeth grinding and damage can indicate sleep apnea or other sleeping disorders. Your dentist can identify these dental concerns and recommend a specialist if necessary.

Prevent Bad Breath

Nobody wants to walk around with bad breath. When you visit your dentist for teeth cleaning, they help rid the mouth of bad breath, gum issues, etc. Keep in mind you’ll also have a fresher, cleaner feeling than just brushing and flossing at home.

Financial Benefits

Dental issues such as plaque buildup and cavities worsen over time. They never get better. Your teeth’s health is in danger of continuous deterioration especially as months turn into years. If you were to lay off on addressing these issues, the cost to fix them would dramatically increase. As stated earlier, it’s important to visit your dentist to identify any early stages or signs of dental problems so they can be taken care of sooner rather than later. Your dentist will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises both in your mouth and in your wallet.

Avoid Losing Your Teeth

Any dentist’s goal is to help protect and maintain the teeth of their clients. This includes upholding your smile by preventing tooth decay and other dental issues that may lead to losing a tooth altogether. By visiting an oral surgeon in Mission Viejo CA or Laguna Niguel every 6 months, you should be able to avoid emergency appointments now or in the future.