Dental Exams & Teeth Cleaning in Vinings

Do You Need to Find a Reliable Dental Practice for a Dental Exam in Vinings?

A dental exam is important for preventative care, allowing your dentist to spot potential issues, such as gum disease and oral cancer, before they become more difficult to treat. We urge you to see a dentist twice a year for an exam, regardless of whether you are in pain. Many dental diseases don’t cause pain until they advance to a major problem. We offer comprehensive dental exams where your dentist will look for:

• Decay
• Fractured or chipped teeth
• Loose fillings
• Gum disease
• TMJ disorders
• Oral cancer

Many dental insurance plans cover routine exams completely. However, if you don’t have dental insurance, exams are an excellent investment. Avoiding exams to save money now will likely result in you needing expensive dental work later on that you can’t avoid because you’ll be in pain. We strive to provide excellent dental care so you don’t hesitate to keep having routine exams. Phone us today if you would like to schedule a dental exam. We welcome new patients and like to develop long-term patient-dentist relationships.

How Are Teeth Cleaning and Gum Disease Treatment Related?

Professional teeth cleanings help prevent the need for treatment for gum disease by removing hardened plaque from your teeth that accumulates near the gum line. It’s impossible to remove hardened plaque with a toothbrush, a dentist or dental hygienist has to remove it using special instruments. Teeth cleanings also include a polishing with a mildly abrasive paste, which removes surface stains and improves the appearance of your teeth. Plaque contains bacteria that can inflame your gums, making them bright red. This is gingivitis, the mildest form of gum disease. You may also notice your gums bleed easily. If you already have gingivitis, it’s not too late to have a dental cleaning. This, along with improved dental hygiene habits, can reverse gingivitis in addition to helping to prevent it.

Untreated gingivitis may progress to periodontal disease, a more severe form of gum disease where the bacteria gets under your gum line, inflaming the tissues and attacking the bone that holds your teeth firmly in place. Without periodontal treatment, your gums will recede and your teeth will become loose and eventually fall out. We offer nonsurgical treatment options to halt the disease’s progression. Once you complete your treatment for periodontal disease, your dentist will have you schedule your dental exams more frequently than every six months.

Can Dentists Cure Bad Breath?

Everyone gets bad breath occasionally from eating certain foods, but some people have chronic bad breath, called halitosis. Brushing your teeth may not make any difference in how your breath smells. If you’re tired of being embarrassed when people stand close to talk to you in professional and social situations, make an appointment with one of our dentists. Often, a dental cleaning and oral hygiene product suggestions are enough to cure your chronic bad breath. However, your dentist will also look for decay and signs of gum disease, which can cause halitosis. If you have loose filling or crowns, these can trap food particles, which will rot and cause bad breath. Schedule your appointment today so you can stop eating breath mints all day and worrying about others still smelling your breath.

Why Are Dentists Doing Screenings for Oral Cancer?

Dentists play an important role in the fight against oral cancer. During a check-up, your dentist is already looking in your mouth, so it is the ideal time to have an oral cancer screening. The visual and tactile inspection takes about two or three minutes and is completely painless. Catching oral cancer early increases your chances of the cancer being cured with treatment. If our dentist detects any unusual tissue or lesions, he or she will send a sample to a lab for a diagnosis. Adults should have a screening for oral cancer at least once a year, regardless of whether they use tobacco or have other risk factors. We will start screening patients earlier if they use tobacco as teenagers, although, we strongly recommend you to quit as smoking can contribute to a number of dental problems, not just oral cancer.

If it has been more than six months since you have had a dental check-up with a screening for oral cancer, call our office to make an appointment for a dental exam in Vinings. Even if it has been years since you’ve had an exam, we won’t lecture you. We want you to feel good about visiting our office to start taking charge of your oral health.