A Dental Check-up for Oral Cancer and a Dental Cleaning are Important

While you might not think about it every day, dentists recommend making regular dental check-ups and dental cleanings part of your routine, like visiting the doctor or brushing your teeth before bed. Both can help prevent oral cancer and maintain overall dental health, but only one is necessary to make you smile more often. But what exactly is a dental cleaning? What does it entail? The health of your mouth is just as important as the health of your body.

Why is a check-up important?

To catch minor issues before they become major problems, it's important to go in for regular check-ups. Get your teeth checked at least once every six months to ensure you stay on top of any problems you might be having with them. Cleaning can also help keep your mouth clean from bacteria that cause cavities.

A dental check-up can also help you discover more about your general health. Gum disease is an oral infection that increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. While most people with gum disease don't realize they have it because their symptoms aren't very noticeable, a dentist can use x-rays to look for signs of gum disease in your mouth.

What does your dentist look for during your check-up?

During your dental check-up, you'll want to ask your dentist what they look for during your annual cleaning. First, your dentist will be looking for cavities. Cavities, or tooth decay, are caused by bacteria in plaque building up on your teeth over time. This means that brushing regularly with proper technique will help prevent cavities from forming. Secondly, your dentist will examine your gums for periodontal disease. If you have periodontitis, it's important to take care of it as soon as possible.

The last thing your dentist will be looking for is whether you have signs of oral cancer. There's no way to know if you have oral cancer just by looking at it. That's why your dentist will use their trained eye to check out your mouth during each appointment, making sure to inspect all areas of your teeth, gums, tongue, lips, and inside your cheeks.

If you notice any swelling or bleeding that won't stop during your dental cleaning, get it checked out by a medical professional immediately. You can also schedule a mouth exam with your dentist to check for mouth sores, ulcers, or unusual growths on your mouth lining. While these growths may not be cancerous in themselves, they can be indicators of early oral cancer, so you should regularly have them checked by a doctor. The most common causes of oral cancer include tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption, so if you're worried about oral cancer, talk to your dentist about quitting these habits if possible.

Is it worth getting my teeth cleaned?

Over time, our tooth enamel becomes stained by pigments that seep into it from food and drink—that's why it's recommended that you get your teeth cleaned every six months to remove these stains. When you do so, however, be sure to talk with your dentist about oral cancer. If caught early enough, oral cancer is treatable; left untreated, it spreads rapidly through major organs like your liver and lungs.

Request an appointment here: https://www.northside-dentalcare.com or call Northside Dental Care, PC at (978) 206-7077 for an appointment in our Peabody office.

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