When was the last time you had a dental appointment? Most people should be getting dental cleanings at least twice a year — and if it’s been more than six months since your last appointment, your oral health could be suffering.
Brushing and flossing your teeth at home is important, but nothing can replace professional dental exams. At Morita Dental, Kohei Morita, DDS, and our team make it easy to get the oral health care you need with comprehensive dental exams for adults and children of all ages.
If it’s time for your next cleaning and you’re wondering if you really need to make that dental appointment, it’s time to reconsider. Here are five of the biggest benefits you get with regular dental exams.
1. Cleaner teeth
Even if you brush and floss your teeth twice a day, you can benefit from a professional dental cleaning. At-home oral hygiene helps remove plaque and decrease tooth decay, but it’s easy to miss spots when you’re cleaning your own teeth.
Dr. Morita and our team use special dental tools to reach all the small spaces between your teeth and along your gum line. We remove plaque and tartar that you can’t get with brushing and flossing, which helps prevent decay and other oral diseases.
2. Preventive care
Along with cleanings, our dental exams include a range of treatments to identify oral health issues early and prevent them from worsening. Preventive treatments can include:
- Fluoride treatment
- Sealant
- Oral cancer screening
- X-rays
Fluoride and sealants can help keep teeth cleaner and reduce your risk of decay. X-rays give our team an inside look at your teeth and jaw health. Oral cancer screenings are particularly important, because the earlier cancer is identified, the more treatable it is.
3. Lower risk of gum disease
Gum disease is the most common oral disease, and it affects one in two American adults. It starts with bacteria buildup along gums. It progresses from mild gum inflammation (gingivitis) to severe periodontitis, which can make teeth fall out.
The good news is that getting regular dental exams is one of the best ways to protect against this common condition. Dr. Morita and our team look for signs of gum disease in your exam, and we can recommend treatments to stop and reverse it.
4. Personalized treatment plan
If we identify oral health issues during your exam, we work with you to develop a treatment plan. Small cavities and minor damage may be treatable with tooth-colored fillings in the same appointment.
Larger issues, like deep cavities, broken teeth, or missing teeth, may need more advanced restorations. Dr. Morita offers treatments that include crowns, bridges, dental implants, dentures, and root canals. If your teeth are misaligned, he may recommend orthodontic treatment with Invisalign®.
5. Your questions: answered
Last but not least, your dental exam is the perfect place to get all your oral health care questions answered. Dr. Morita reviews your oral health with you and makes sure to leave time at the end of your appointment for questions.
Whether you’re wondering which toothpaste to use or you’re curious about veneers and cosmetic dentistry, you can get personalized answers from our team.
Schedule your next dental exam at Morita Dental in Cupertino, California. Call us at 539-232-0148, or request an appointment online now.