Let's Go For A Dental Exam

Let's admit it, not everybody is so keen in going to the dentist for a dental exam. Childhood experience, uncomfortable dental procedures and the intimidating sounds of dental instruments are just some of the reasons for this resentment. Dentists are probably one of the most dreaded health practitioners, no offense to these helpful individuals. Most often it is because of previous dental discomforts or unpleasant dental stories heard from other people that magnifies this lack of affinity to dental procedures.

As we get older, our teeth and mouth are affected in various ways. Production of saliva becomes less abundant. Saliva naturally protects our dentition with its flushing action. It also neutralizes the acidity in our oral cavity thereby decreasing the possible of cavity formation. Lesser amount of saliva will allow the cavity-causing bacteria to thrive. Aging also affects the color and sheen of our teeth, our old fillings break due to wear and tear and gum disease sets in. It is estimated that about 30 percent of people over the age of 65 lose all their teeth because of gum disease. All these consequences can only be detected if we see our dentist for an examination.

It is recommended by the Academy of General Dentistry that we see our dentist for a dental examination twice in a year. Unfortunately, only half of the population follows this recommendation.

What goes on during a dental exam? The dentist makes a visual exam of the patient's mouth. During this ocular exam, the dentist will search for any abnormalities in the oral cavity including cracked and decayed teeth. Along with this, he will also look for growths and sores found in the tongue, mucous membrane and palate. Some modern dental clinics use intra-oral cameras. These utilize a tiny video camera that is placed inside the patient's mouth. The images captured by the camera are enlarged and displayed in color monitors. Hidden problems however still require the use of dental X-rays especially in the areas below the gums. X-ray exam scheduling is different for every patient depending on individual needs. During dental exam, your dentist may also use a probing instrument to measure the depth of pockets in your gums. Probing for dental pockets will aid in determining whether a patient is starting to show any signs of gum disease.

Your dentist will usually determine the best treatment procedure that will be done in case any cracked teeth, cavities, decayed teeth, broken fillings and any other oral abnormalities are found during the routine check up. Your dentist may suggest performing dental procedures like filling, root canal therapy, crown restoration, extraction and other treatment procedures depending on his observation during the examination.

During your routine dental check-up, your dentist may also recommend the proper brushing and flossing techniques if he finds that you are not keen in your oral health. He may also encourage you to use antiseptic mouthwash. He may also make some recommendations like a visit to a Periodontist if he founds out that you have severe or gum disease that is rapidly developing.

Finally, a dental exam will not only reveal dental concerns and anomalies. Sometimes a routine dental exam will prove life saving to patients who have life threatening diseases that are revealed during this procedure. Studies show that a routine panoramic dental X-ray used to show gum disease could also help doctors identify cardiovascular disease. Panoramic dental X-rays will reveal not only gum disease but also it can also show blockages in the large arteries in the neck. Blockage in these areas will indicate a person's risk of heart attack and stroke.

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Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Dental

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