For the most part, the benefits of keeping your teeth clean and healthy are fairly obvious. However, you might not realize that efficiently keeping your smile clean means attending every dental exam and cleaning appointment that your dentist recommends. The benefits of maintaining a regular schedule of professional dental care are many. As the cornerstone of preventive dentistry, your exams and cleanings are the best way to help you avoid having to attend your dentist’s office more often for more extensive treatment.

1. Avoid Serious Dental Issues

Most of the issues that can threaten your smile’s long-term health, like tooth decay and gum disease, can usually be avoided with excellent hygiene and regular preventive dental visits. Such issues form when oral bacteria are allowed to gather unchecked, and without regular exams and cleanings, they can hide behind plaque and tartar as they attack your teeth and gum tissues.

2. Keep Your Smile Brighter for Longer

Teeth stains are unique in that they can develop even when you are diligent about keeping your teeth clean. However, with regular exams and cleanings, you can prolong your smile’s bright, healthy appearance and hold back stains by controlling the things that cause them, like lingering food particles and oral bacteria.

3. Catch Issues Before You Even Notice Them

In addition to thoroughly cleaning your teeth of harmful oral bacteria, your visits will also include comprehensive examinations by your dentist to check for signs that tooth decay or gum disease are present. By keeping your exam and cleaning schedule consistent, your dentist can spot signs long before they become obvious to you.

Schedule Your Next Dental Exam & Cleaning

To truly benefit from a consistently healthy smile, we recommend attending every dental exam and cleaning appointment that your dentist recommends. To learn more, schedule a consultation with Dr. Burds by calling Gateway Dental Group in downtown Des Moines, IA, at (515) 244-9565.