Facebook logo
Request An
Appointment
Read Our
Reviews
? Ask Us a
Question
Call Map

Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings – Arlington Heights, IL

Keeping Smiles Healthy & Beautiful

A woman pointing at her smile after dental checkupRoutine dental checkups are a very important part of preventive care. Without them, you cannot say that your oral care regimen is complete. By visiting at least once every six months for dental checkups and teeth cleanings in Arlington Heights, IL, your dentist can catch underlying problems that may be present not just with your oral health, but your overall health as well. In fact, many conditions you may not have been aware of, such as sleep apnea, TMJ disorder, oral cancer, and even cardiovascular disease and malnutrition can all be caught earlier through routine checkups.

Furthermore, routine cleanings aren’t only a chance to get a truly professional treatment. Cleanings offer what you can never get at home or with products bought over-the-counter. It’s the most effective solution to stopping dental disease outside of your at-home care routine.

What to Expect During the Dental Exam

A closeup up someone’s mouth during a dental examDentists examine all the areas of your mouth for issues, including previous restorations you have received. However, they’re not just examining your teeth and gums for problems. They’re also checking more complex factors like your bite and your jaw. Dentists know that an uneven bite or crowding teeth could cause problems later.

Furthermore, only a dentist can perform certain procedures that confirm the health of your specific areas. For example, a common way to confirm your gums are healthy is to measure pocket depth. The deeper your gum pockets are, the more likely you are to have the early stages of gum disease.

It’s common for dentists to perform X-rays as well, typically once a year, in order to catch problems invisible to the naked eye. It also helps them examine the way your teeth are growing, which is especially important for younger patients whose permanent and wisdom teeth haven’t erupted yet.

Once they’ve examined all the parts of your mouth and confirmed what areas need to be addressed, they’ll begin the cleaning process.

How Your Professional Cleaning is Done

An older couple examining a dental X-rayPatients often ask why they need dental cleanings if they practice sufficient care at home. The truth is even the strictest oral care regimen isn’t enough to reach all the deep pockets and corners of the mouth. It also isn’t enough to remove the calcified form of plaque known as tartar. Tartar can only be removed by a dentist through scaling, which is the scraping sensation you feel during your cleaning. If the dentist notices that you accumulate plaque or tartar more than the average person, they’ll get the chance to enhance your fluoride treatment.

After they complete your cleaning, you’ll also be able to discuss your current at-home oral care and whether it’s sufficient enough in between your visits. Many people don’t realize they aren’t brushing for long enough or with proper technique, so dental cleanings help determine what needs to improve. In other cases, people may actually brush too hard or too long, which is equally unhealthy because it can result in enamel erosion and gum recession.

With dental checkups in Arlington Heights, you can say proudly that your oral health is in good condition for years to come!