Dental Checkups: When You Should Call Our Everett Dental Office

Getting a dental checkup twice a year is an important part of keeping your mouth healthy. It gives a dentist a chance to evaluate the patient for any developing oral issues, and preventative treatments like teeth cleanings are performed.

Failing to see a dentist twice a year makes it possible for tartar to accumulate on the surface of a person's teeth. Tartar is calcified plaque. It is a thin, transparent film that forms on teeth surfaces and houses bacteria. Plaque leads to tooth decay when left on teeth surfaces for extended periods of time, but it can be removed by brushing and flossing.

However, plaque will eventually harden and turn into tartar when left on teeth for more than a few days. Tartar gives teeth a yellow tint, and it cannot be cleaned off by brushing. A dentist needs to perform a teeth cleaning to get rid of it.

Figuring out when you are due for a dental checkup

Here are a few signs that a person is overdue for a checkup:

1. Yellow-looking teeth

Tartar gives teeth a yellow tint, so anyone who notices their teeth are more yellow than usual is probably due for a teeth cleaning. It is the one procedure dentists typically perform during checkups, and it helps to keep gum disease at bay. If the patient's teeth are still discolored after the cleaning, the dentist might decide to perform a whitening treatment.

2. Holes on teeth

Tiny holes called cavities often develop on teeth surfaces as a result of tooth decay. It can be quite an annoying experience since food particles have a tendency to become stuck in these holes. While a small cavity might not seem like a big deal to some people, the reality is that it will continue to expand until it becomes a serious issue.

An untreated cavity can lead to a tooth becoming infected and the eventual loss of the tooth. Anyone who notices a cavity is due for a checkup. If the person notices one cavity, there are likely others that a dentist would notice during an evaluation.

3. Bad breath

It is perfectly normal to have bad breath every now and then, but when it becomes something that never goes away, a visit to the dentist is in order. The bad breath might be a sign of a more serious issue like gum disease, which is significantly easier to treat in its early stages. The dentist will perform diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the person's halitosis and come up with a solution.

4. Tooth/jaw pain

Tooth or jaw pain is the body's way of letting us know something is wrong. Anyone who experiences this should visit a dentist as soon as possible. These kinds of dental issues rarely resolve themselves.

Keep your teeth healthy with regular check-ups

Regular checkups are as important as brushing your teeth daily. Would you go weeks without brushing? Well, not getting checked up regularly is just as bad for your oral health. Schedule a checkup with our Everett office today.

Request an appointment here: https://gkdentaloffice.com or call GK Dental PC at (617) 826-6075 for an appointment in our Everett office.

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.