Brushing and flossing are important parts of making sure you keep your smile healthy. But visiting the dentist regularly for preventative care is essential to making sure there are no hidden issues in your smile. Drs. Walter and Karl Neuhaus of Creekside Dentistry, a dentist in Amherst, NY, highlight the specific benefits of preventative care.

Catching Things Early

The earlier a dental problem is caught, the easier it is to treat. We always want to provide the most conservative treatment we can for dental concerns. It’s ideal to preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible. Some dental problems can be hard to discern without training. You may not be able to detect problems with tooth decay or gum disease until they become more prominent.

When you’re regularly seeing the dentist, they’re able to notice subtle changes that may have occurred since your last visit. Using dental technology and their expertise, they’re likely to discover problems before you would realize them on your own. Things like tooth decay can be caught on a dental x-ray before you ever have any symptoms.

Oral Cancer Screenings

During every routine dental visit, we’ll perform a screening for oral cancer. Oral is something that can be difficult to diagnose on your own. Particularly in the early stages, oral cancer isn’t going to cause pain. Sores or abnormal cell growth in your mouth often look like ulcers or other issues. An experienced dentist is able to tell the difference between common issues like ulcers and something more serious.

A Thorough Cleaning

An exam is only one part of a regular preventative care appointment. Bi-annual dental visits also come with a thorough cleaning. There are certain areas in your mouth that are difficult to clean by brushing and flossing alone. Even the most diligent can still develop some plaque and tartar buildup in hard-to-reach spots.

The tools in a dental office are specifically made for the purpose of getting into every nook and cranny in your smile. Getting plaque and tartar removed regularly significantly decreases your chances of suffering from problems with tooth decay or gum disease. Fluoride treatments are available if you want to make sure you have extra protection in the future.

Preventative Care at Your Amherst, New York Dentist

Our preventative care appointments include thorough cleaning, oral cancer and gum disease screening, dental x-rays, and many other services. Analyzing your bite is an option if you’re concerned with symptoms of TMJ. We also offer digital imaging and models for diagnosis and treatment purposes.

Make sure you’re doing everything you can for your oral health. Call us or schedule an appointment online.