Why See a Dentist?

Everyone needs regular preventative professional dental examinations, even if you have excellent home care and brush and floss regularly. Dental exams are also just as important if you wear dentures, have dental implants, or are taking medications or receiving treatments that affect your mouth in some way. How often you are seen for a dental examination depends on your personal oral health needs and your risk factors. No matter how carefully you take care of your teeth and gums, or how carefully you look for signs or problems, there are a number of oral health conditions that only your dentist can see. Various medical conditions can also be detected during your dental checkup, often in their early stages. Your dentist is able to identify the oral manifestations of these conditions, and can refer you to other health professionals for subsequent treatment if needed. He will also be looking for cavities, gum disease, eroded and broken down fillings, tooth fractures, impactions, oral infections, early signs of oral cancer, and many other diseases. His goal is to catch small problems before they become big ones, and can often treat a problem right away.