As dentists, we know that we are not everyone’s cup of tea. Some people have a very deep and profound fear of coming to see us, a condition is known as dentophobia. Other people have busy lives and jam-packed schedules that make scheduling dental checkups a challenge.

While we here at Carolina Smiles Family Dentistry recommend that all of our valued patients come in for a routine dental exam with a cleaning every six months for family dentistry issues, the fact is, only about 60 percent of you make it in every year. The fact is, while a dental appointment with us may not be your favorite pastime, it is quite important and can save you from a lot of pain and trouble in the future.

Believe it or not, there is more to a dental exam than just chiding you about how often you floss. We do a lot of important things when we have you on our exam chair. This can not only ensure that your mouth is healthy, but that you also have no underlying issues with your teeth or jaw.

If it has been longer than two years since your last exam, or you are reporting dental pain or problems, we may start by recommending dental X-rays. These are quite safe and can help us check the health of your teeth and soft tissue. We will also perform an oral cancer screening to determine if you have oral cancer. We will also examine your gums to see if there is any evidence of gum disease. If you have any fillings or other types of restorations, we will also look to see how well they are holding up or if they are due for replacement.

After your checkup, we will then start with your dental cleaning. We will start by scaling your teeth, which means we will be using a special type of scraper to remove any hardened debris (calculus) from your teeth. This may take a while, especially if you have much buildup on your teeth. Next, we will brush your teeth using gritty toothpaste. This will help polish and smooth your teeth. We recommend getting this done every six months. Please do not try to use gritty toothpaste at home, as it can be damaging to your dental enamel if used too often.

After we scale and brush your teeth, we will then floss them for you. Sometimes our patients notice bleeding during the flossing portion of the cleaning. If this happens, it means that you may not be flossing enough at home and could be a sign of gum disease. If you pick up a good routine of flossing, the bleeding should stop. Finally, we will have you rinse your mouth out. We may offer you a fluoride treatment at this point.

Getting a dental exam with cleaning with us is quite simple and easy. It takes very little time out of your schedule but can be very beneficial to your oral health. Regular checkups and cleanings can help prevent a myriad of health complications that can arise later in life, including cancer, heart attack, stroke, and even death. If it has been longer than six months since your last cleaning and checkup, please give us here at Carolina Smiles Family Dentistry a call today at (803) 794-2273!