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Dear Farid,
Indeed, next to brushing and flossing, regular dental checkups are
the most important thing anyone can do for their dental health.
How often you should see your dentist depends. It depends on a
range of things, including whether you have a fairly healthy
mouth, or whether you suffer from gum disease. It depends on the
rate of tooth decay, the extent and size of existing fillings and
the relative health of supporting gum tissue. It is even
influenced by the existence of prescription medications in a
person's life, and your ability to provide effective home care.
The bottom line is that, when it comes to regularity of dental
visits, everyone is unique.
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Why Dental
Checkups ?
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Research indicates that at least 80% of the adult population has
some form of periodontal disease. Most of us don't even know that
we have such a condition, which is largely caused by the presence
of plaque. Without its periodic removal, the sad truth is that
every adult will develop gingivitis which may progress in some to
periodontitis and loss of tooth attachment to the gum s. And it's
nearly impossible to predict which patients are more susceptible
to this deterioration than others. As such, it's important to
include preventive dental coverage in the list of benefits you
choose at the workplace. What's involved in a dental check up
varies according to a range of factors, including the
predetermined recall frequency. For example, individuals who have
a high incidence of, or predisposition to cavities, but who visit
their dentist infrequently, will require different treatment,
perhaps even major restoration, when they do attend the dentist
than will the individuals who drop in more frequently.
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What Happens at
checkup ?
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- screening, where the dentist looks for anything unusual such
as early signs of gum disease, eroded fillings, infections and
oral cancer;
- minor treatment, where the dentist fixes small problems on
the spot;
- cleaning, where the dentist or hygienist removes tartar
buildup from the teeth;
- x-rays, where the dentist can view a person's bite, identify
teeth that are impacted, large or crooked tooth roots, and tooth
decay between teeth, under the gumline and under old fillings;
and,
- some education, where the dentist advises various procedures
based on the results of the checkup.
For kids, the dentist is also looking at issues guiding the
development of oral health, and making sure parents and children
know how to care for little teeth. They're looking into things
like thumb-sucking, airway obstruction and appropriate management
of sports injuries. For older adults, dentists are paying special
attention to the rate of gum disease. And for everyone, they're
drawing a very significant connection between nutrition and the
rate of problems with the teeth. |
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