A vital part of taking care of your teeth is visiting one of our dentists at Polit & Costello Dentistry for routine exams and cleanings every six months. In younger children and kids, exams allow dentists to check that their teeth are developing correctly. In adults, they can check for tooth decay and gum disease that can cause tooth loss. Here are some other reasons to maintain regular dental visits.
A dental exam doesn’t only benefit your teeth, but it can benefit your overall health. Our dentists in Pittston, PA can spot emerging medical issues like heart disease, oral or throat cancers, and diabetes. All these issues can become life-threatening, but doctors can treat them successfully if caught in their early stages.
During a thorough examination, our dentists can spot fractures, decay, and gum disease that can cause you to lose teeth if not treated. If the patient hasn’t had teeth cleaning for a long time, our general dentists near you will need to scrape off the tartar from teeth to prevent bacteria that can lead to tooth decay.
Tartar comes from plaque that’s naturally produced in your mouth every day. Plaque contains food debris and saliva that sticks to teeth and your tongue. You can brush it away every morning, but if you don’t brush or don’t do it properly, it can harden into tartar, which requires a dentist to remove it.
During exams and cleanings in Pittston, PA, our dentists will also take x-rays to look at your teeth’ roots and bone structures to ensure they don’t have damage. Severe decay can get into the jawbones and cause them to weaken. This problem can also lead to loose teeth, not qualifying for procedures like dental implants, or fractured jaws during traumas.
Along with bone issues, x-rays can spot problems like decay and infections that are not visually detectable. X-rays can also find Infections at the root of a tooth, undetectable abscesses, or cysts and tumors. If it’s been years since you’ve had routine dental exams and cleanings near you, contact Polit & Costello Dentistry to book an appointment with our dentists.