Many years ago many people were not in a position to visit the dentist often not only that, the available services was limited. The result was predictable; more people had dental problems than today. There are certainly more qualified dentists but easy access to a Southport dentist is of no value at all if you don’t see him or her on a regular basis. It is highly recommended that you see your dentist every six months, inn this way the dentist has the opportunity to attend to routine maintenance such as a professional cleaning and to stop any noticeable decay from becoming worse.

Twice a year dental visits invariably start with a professional cleaning. In the majority of cases this task is left to a dental hygienist, this person cleans your teeth thoroughly, eliminating all the plaque and tartar that has built up since the last visit. Even those patients that take very good care of their teeth will benefit from a professional cleaning, no matter how well teeth are brushed and flossed, it is impossible to eliminate plaque; especially between teeth. In many cases the Southport dentist will coat the teeth with a fluoride solution which helps to retard the onset of decay.

Once the professional cleaning has been done the dentist will carefully examine your oral cavity looking for any evidence of tooth decay or gum disease. The dentist uses various instruments, gently tapping and probing each tooth looking for any potential problems. During the visual exam the dentist looks for excessive space between your gums and your teeth. Although there must be some space, if it is excessive it may indicate that there is the possibility of a gum disorder.

Although the tapping and probing that the dentist does can catch problems there are some that are not necessarily visible, this is why the dentist uses X-Rays; it affords the opportunity to check for underlying problems. If the dentist spots a cavity he will often take an X-Ray to see whether or not it is about to touch a nerve. X-rays are also invaluable to locate and identify such things as an impacted tooth, a cyst or an abscess.

The American Dental Association recommends twice a year visits to your Southport dentist and for most people this is enough. However, there may be a good reason to make an intermediate appointment; perhaps you begin to have some pain associated with a tooth, when this happens there is no need to wait for your next scheduled check-up.