Detecting Dental Issues Early: The Importance of Regular Checkups

The Importance of Early Intervention

Does the recommendation of twice yearly checkups seem like overkill to you? It’s not. Regular dental visits give the dentist a chance to become familiar with your mouth, and notice any changes in your oral health. That way, small problems can be addressed before they become major issues. From tooth decay to gum disease, dental issues that are detected early can be managed before they become difficult and expensive to treat.

What Does a Dental Checkup Entail?

During a dental check-up, the dentist will talk to you about your health and any issues you have had with your mouth since your last visit. Your dentist will also give you advice on caring for your mouth. The primary purpose of a dental check-up, though, is to allow the dentist a chance to examine your teeth, gums, and mouth. During this examination, he or she will be looking for:

• Tooth Decay: Cavities are small holes caused by tooth decay, and they often form in places that are difficult to reach. Dentists can spot cavities when they are small, but you may not notice a cavity until it is painful. By that time, the cavity may be advanced, or the decay may have spread to other teeth. Finding cavities early allows the dentist to treat them before they become a serious problem.
• Gum Disease: Gum disease can be detected early through a dental checkup, in time to help you manage it and prevent its progression. If left untreated, gum disease can advance and become periodontitis, which can cause your teeth to become loose or even fall out.
• Mouth Growths: In a dental examination, the dentist can identify and diagnose unusual lumps, sores, and tissue changes in the mouth, including cysts, tumors, and oral cancer. Some of these can be harmless, like mucoceles, cysts that form when a salivary gland duct is blocked. Oral warts can occur as a result of exposure to the human papillomavirus. Sometimes these bumps are harmless, but some strains of HPV can raise the risk of oral cancer. Canker sores are shallow ulcers in the mouth, and oral thrush is a fungal infection that looks like white lesions. The most serious type of mouth growth, though, is oral cancer. With oral cancer, persistent mouth sores can develop in any part of the mouth, and early detection of oral cancer is important for successful treatment.

Caring for Your Teeth at Home

Of course, between dental visits, it is important to take good care of your teeth. Here are some helpful tips for maintaining good oral health:

• Brush at least twice daily. Use the proper brushing technique, holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gumline and using short, gentle, circular strokes. Make sure to brush the inner surfaces of the teeth as well as your tongue.
• Floss every day. Holding the floss tightly between the thumb and index fingers, slide it between your teeth, curving it around each tooth and sliding it under the gumline.
• Eat a nutritious diet. Limit your sugar consumption, up your calcium intake, and load your diet with fruits and vegetables.
• Don’t smoke, and don’t drink to excess. Tobacco usage increases your risk of oral cancer and other mouth growths, and excessive alcohol consumption can contribute to oral health problems.
• Use protective gear during physical activities. If you are involved in contact sports or other activities that could result in dental injury, wear a mouthguard.
• Drink plenty of water. Water should be your primary beverage, because it helps not only with hydration but also keeping your mouth clean and moist.

When to Check In Between Checkups

Seeing your dentist twice a year can help catch problems early, but you should schedule an appointment immediately for the following symptoms:

• Mouth sores that do not heal quickly.
• Bleeding without any known cause.
• Difficulty speaking or swallowing.
• Persistent sore throat or hoarseness.
• Pain or numbness in any part of the mouth.

Choose Park 56 to Protect Your Oral Health

If you live in New York and you are looking for a dentist to help you maintain good oral health, why not choose the dentist voted best in the city? At Park 56 Dental Group, we offer pediatric, prosthodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, Invisalign®, emergency, and sedation dentistry, all at the highest level of treatment. Located in the 10022 zip code, we serve the Midtown, Central Park, Upper East Side, Park Avenue, and all surrounding Manhattan and New York areas, with a patient-centered practice that has hours to fit your schedule. Schedule your complimentary consultation today by contacting us online.