Preventative Dentistry Saves Teeth, Time and Money

Ideally, you should visit your dentist at six monthly intervals and it’s a great idea to have a hygiene appointment at the same time. However, when it’s time for your six monthly check-up, it can sometimes be tempting to skip it, as after all if your teeth feel fine then why should you see a dentist in Southend? Unfortunately this can be a bit of a short-sighted view as dental problems can initially create few, if any symptoms, but catching them at an early stage will help save your teeth and it will definitely save you time and money in the longer run.

The Importance of Six Monthly Visits

During your six monthly check-up, your Southend dentist will be looking for any tiny signs of problems. This might be early lesions or signs of cavities in your teeth that require treatment or monitoring. Your dentist will also carefully assess the condition of your gums. This is done by gently probing your gums using a special dental instrument that measures the depth of any pockets in between your gums and your teeth.

It’s important as gum pockets develop due to gum disease. Normally healthy gums will have a pocket depth of between 1 mm is and 3 mm and depths in excess of this can be cause for concern while pocket depths of 5 mm or more may require treatment. At this stage you may be perfectly unaware that anything is wrong, as gum disease is called the silent disease for good reason. These early symptoms which often include gums that bleed while brushing are easy to ignore, but the good news is that gum disease is easily curable when caught soon enough.

Your regular check-ups will also include oral cancer screenings. Unfortunately this disease is becoming more common and it’s often diagnosed late in the day as it’s likely your dentist is the only medical professional who regularly peers inside your mouth. All dentists are trained to spot symptoms and signs that something may be wrong which include changes to the colour or texture of your oral tissues, or any sore spots that may be failing to heal properly. The prognosis for oral cancer is much better when this disease is caught early on.

Professional Hygiene Treatments

Having your teeth professionally cleaned is another important preventative dental care treatment. By removing the tartar that can cause gum disease, we can help keep your gums and teeth healthy and strong and at the same time it’s a great treatment for brightening up your smile as a scale and polish helps remove some surface stains.

If our dentist in Southend discovers that you do need some treatment then it’s likely to be a lot cheaper, less invasive and quicker than had you waited for a problem to develop. Early detection can help prolong the life of your teeth which is definitely something we prefer here at Southend Dental Care.

If it’s been a while since you saw a dentist in Southend or you are overdue for a check-up, why not get on the phone to us to book an appointment. Call us on 01702 465000 or book online at www.Southenddentalcare.co.uk.