Teeth Cleaning
Teeth cleanings are the foundation of preventive dental care and an essential component of overall health and wellness. It is recommended that everyone get a teeth cleaning and dental exam every six months to maintain healthy and strong teeth and gums and address developing problems. Bethesda Family Dental maintains two dental offices in Bethesda, MD, to make getting to your biannual cleanings convenient and easy.
What to Expect During a Teeth Cleaning
Though your teeth cleaning may feel like a relatively swift appointment, there are several important activities that happen during the time you’re a your Bethesda dentist’s office.
- Teeth cleaning: There is no substitute for the tools and meticulous care taken by your dental hygienist. They scrape away plaque and tartar, floss and polish teeth, and reach all the areas you cannot.
- Dental exam: Your Bethesda dentist reviews the health of your entire mouth for gum disease, oral cancer, tooth decay, chips and cracks, and other problems. Having a dentist’s eyes on your teeth and gums ensures that any developing problems are addressed quickly before they become serious and painful.
- X-rays: Most dental insurance plans allows for one set of digital x-rays every year. Even if you don’t have a plan like this or dental insurance at all, you can have affordable x-rays annually. This effort lets your dentist see what’s happening under the gumline so infections, decay, and root problems are diagnosed and addressed immediately.
- Oral cancer screening: The oral cancer screening is quick but critical. Your dentist will search your lips, tongue, palate, cheeks, neck, and throat for any suspicious lumps or raised and reddened areas, which could be symptoms of oral cancer. The sooner this disease is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat.
- Gum disease screening: The early signs of gum disease are difficult for the untrained eye to spot. Your dentist knows what to look for and recognizes when your gums aren’t in optimal condition. Early diagnosis allows for a deep cleaning to prevent the infection from spreading. Your dentist also checks for gum recession, which can lead to gum problems.
- Fluoride treatment: Pediatric teeth cleanings include important fluoride treatments. The fluoride is applied to the biting surface of molars that have erupted, reducing the chances of a child developing cavities. Adults who regularly suffer from tooth decay may also want to discuss this treatment with their Bethesda dentist.
- Consultation: Wonder if Invisalign is right for you? Worried about the condition of a particular tooth? Wish you could whiten your teeth? Whatever your concerns about your oral health, the time you spend with your dentist is an opportunity to voice your questions and get recommendations.
Get a Teeth Cleaning in Bethesda, MD
At Bethesda Family Dental in Bethesda, MD, our team welcomes patients of all ages for teeth cleanings and dental exams. We consider it a privilege to help you maintain good oral health, and that begins with basic, preventive dental care. You may maintain an excellent oral hygiene routine at home – and this is so important – but teeth cannot be at their healthiest without the support of your dentist and professional dental cleanings.
Prioritize your teeth and gums, and the oral health of everyone in your family, by getting teeth cleanings at least twice a year. Contact us today to schedule an appointment time that is convenient for you. If you have dental anxiety or a busy schedule, we can accommodate both – what’s most important is ensuring that you’re in the dentist’s chair and getting the oral health care you need.
