Suggestions on how often you should go to the dentist

Visits to the dentist office  are an extremely important part of not only your oral health, but your overall health. Infections and disease in the mouth can destroy the jawbone, tongue, cheeks and more. The infections can also spread to the rest of the body—causing very dangerous illness. Because of this, it’s extremely important to visit your dentist regularly for routine cleanings and checkups.

Routine Cleanings and Checkups

Routine cleanings and checkups fall under the field of dentistry known as “general dentistry.” A general dentist provides services that help with the ongoing maintenance of a patient’s oral health. They will also help to clean the teeth, diagnose oral health issues and will often perform minor procedures (such as placing dental fillings) as well.

A routine cleaning and checkup involves the cleaning of the teeth and gums with special instruments. The teeth are often polished after the cleaning as well. Along with the cleaning, your dentist will do a visual exam of your mouth overall. If they see anything suspicious, they may decide to take x-rays to further examine any oral health problems.

General dentistry is extremely important to overall oral health, and because of this it is important to visit your dentist regularly for routine cleanings and checkups. Make sure to visit your dentist every six months for these services.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry is the field of dentistry that involves cosmetic procedures that help with the appearance of a patient’s smile. Some of these services (like teeth whitening) are purely cosmetic, and can be done at a patient’s leisure. Other procedures (like dental implants) will need to be performed within a reasonable amount of time to avoid further oral health issues. If your dentist suggests you have a cosmetic procedure performed for your oral health, make sure to get an appointment in the books.

Emergency Services

Emergency dental services are like any other form of emergency care. They require a patient to see a dentist immediately—often within a 24 hour period. If you have extreme pain, have had an accident that has severely broken a tooth or are having any other major issues with your teeth, gums, tongue, cheeks or jawbone, call an emergency dentist for an appointment.

Choosing the Right Dentist

Different services require different types of dentists. For your general cleanings and checkups every six months, you’ll want to find a great general dentist. For emergency services, you’ll want to search (likely online) for a practice that can service your needs within 24 hours. Cosmetic procedures may be able to be completed by your general dentist, or you may need the help of a cosmetic dentist.

Make sure that you look for and choose a dentist that meets the needs for the specific procedure or procedures that you need performed. Then, call and set an appointment to have that procedure completed.

If you haven’t been to your dentist for a routine cleaning and checkup in over six months, call and schedule an appointment today.

Downtown Dental Excellence is conveniently located in Cleveland, TX (just north of Houston) and provides a larger variety of General and Cosmetic Dental procedures. Learn more about Downtown Dental Excellence here.

If you're just interested in reading more about general dentistry and information surrounding, here's some general information on what dentistry is.