Are You Aware of How Dental Cleanings and Dental Exams Are Different?
Are you aware that dental cleanings and dental exams are different and are usually combined during one appointment by dentists? Adults and children both need dental cleanings and exams every six months to maintain appropriate dental hygiene. Children in particular prone to infections in the oral cavity need visits to dentists without exceptions.
If your child needs a dental checkup, it makes economic sense to look for a pediatric dentist in your locality and schedule appointments with them for your child. However, before we discuss this topic any further, let us provide information on dental exams and dental cleanings, giving you the differences between these two tests.
Dental Exams Explained
Dental exams are routine screening procedures when the pediatric dentist near me examines your child’s teeth to identify problems with their dental health. Generally, dental exams are associated with cavities, gum disease, and fillings. However, a comprehensive dental exam also helps detect abnormalities like oral cancer. Depending on the condition of your child’s oral health, the examination might include x-rays, periodontal exam, salivary exam, occlusal exam, throat and mouth inspection, and analyzing the jaw joints.
It helps if you understand that comprehensive diagnostics become essential if your child reports a specific problem. The pediatric dentist in Phoenix, AZ, uses instruments to check the alignment of your child’s teeth and inquire into their health history.
Dental Cleaning Explained
During six-monthly dental cleanings, the dentist removes challenging plaque and tartar deposits on the teeth and below the gum line nonremovable by brushing and flossing. The dental cleaning procedure involves several steps, including physical scrapping of plaque using a metal scaler or ultrasonic equipment, using a suction tool or water to remove leftover plaque, polishing the teeth with gritty toothpaste, and providing flossing demonstrations.
After the cleaning procedure, the dentist explains how better flossing can help to prevent the onset of periodontitis, a severe gum infection. They also explain techniques to your child to help reduce plaque buildup going ahead.
Why Are Regular Dental Checkups Essential?
Most people are familiar with avoiding preventive measures and only visit a medical practitioner when they develop pain or infections. Unfortunately, dentistry is involved with painful and invasive procedures for the better part to encourage people to avoid visiting dentists fearing pain until they develop oral infections in their mouths requiring expensive and intensive treatments.
Children are prone to oral infections like cavities and gum disease because they are constantly feasting on sugary and starchy foods. The foods children have provide the bacteria in their mouths the nourishment they need to deposit acids on their teeth to create cavities. Research conducted by the CDC reveals children as young as two are undergoing intensive root canal treatments to eliminate oral infections inside their teeth. Dental pulp infections happen only when minor cavities are left untreated, ignoring dental exams and treatments like dental fillings.
Scheduling regular appointments with the pediatric dentist for your child prevents the need for intensive treatments that cost an arm and a leg besides causing severe pain to your child.
How Dental Cleanings Help Your Child?
Dental cleaning is an essential element of oral hygiene that your child needs to prevent severe problems later. You may supervise your child during their brushing and flossing. However, missing dental plaque in the difficult-to-reach areas of the mouth is pretty comfortable. When left unremoved dental plaque eventually hardens into tartar, making it practically impossible to remove it with a toothbrush. Professional cleaning is the only technique available to remove tartar from the teeth. A buildup of plaque and tartar is the leading cause of gum inflammation, infectious diseases, bad breath, loosening of teeth, discomfort and bleeding, and ligament and bone loss.
You can avoid all the problems mentioned above and more by scheduling regular dental exams and dental cleanings for your child because it is a straightforward and painless method of preventing health problems. In addition, the visit to the dentist every six months makes your child’s smile appear beautiful and helps them develop healthy oral hygiene routines.
How Often Are Dental Exams and Cleanings Necessary?
Dental cleanings and dental exams are essential for children every six months, as it is with everyone. The ADA recommends six-monthly dental visits or, as determined by the pediatric dentist for your child. If your child is at high risk of dental caries or gum disease, the dentist may recommend frequent visits to ensure severe infections do not progress. However, suppose your child has no dental issues whatsoever. In that case, they benefit from yearly visits so long as you ensure they maintain excellent dental hygiene routines and stay away from sugary foods and beverages.