If you’re healthy and not experiencing any issues with your smile, you might not think you need to go to the dentist. However, no matter how healthy you believe you are, you should be seeing your dentist every six months. This is why dental checkups are important for your smile — and your overall health. 

What is a Dental Checkup? 

A dental checkup is a regular appointment that consists of a routine cleaning and exam. From there, if any issues are found, there could be additional services provided dependent on your current oral health. Each routine visit will begin with a consultation with Dr. Chris Bockrath that will include a review of your current and past medical history. Dental checkups are part of preventative dentistry and healthcare. 

Preventative Dentistry 

Regular dental checkups are a key part in preventative healthcare. Even if you are caring for your teeth well at home, there are still parts of your mouth that you can’t see. If you’re not going to your checkup visits, you could have growing areas of concern that get worse and begin to show uncomfortable symptoms. These conditions can be more difficult to treat and result in more invasive treatments and costly procedures. 

Oral Health and Overall Health 

Your oral health affects your overall health more than you might expect. Your mouth can give you signs of problems in your body, and vice versa. Additionally, your body could begin to feel the effects of issues that start in your mouth. 

Your mouth is filled with bacteria, much like other areas of your body. While most of this bacteria is good and harmless, some of it can be damaging to your health. Your mouth is the entry point to your digestive and respiratory tracts, and some of these bacteria can lead to infection and disease. 

When combined with your body’s natural defenses, good oral health care can help keep bacteria in the mouth under control. However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can multiply and reach levels that could lead to harmful conditions like tooth decay and gum disease. 

Medications and Conditions 

Mayo Clinic explains that medications like decongestants, antihistamines, painkillers, diuretics, antidepressants, and more can reduce saliva flow. Saliva naturally cleanses your mouth and reduces acids. Without proper flow, you could experience problems. 

Studies have also found that oral bacteria and inflammation are associated with a severe form of gum disease, which could play a role in contributing to health conditions and diseases. Gum disease and infection in the mouth has been linked to cardiovascular health issues and put patients at higher risk for heart attack and stroke.  Further, certain diseases like HIV/AIDS can lower the body’s ability to fight infection and make oral health issues more severe.

Your Appointment

X-Rays

At your regular appointments, we will conduct X-rays that will help us diagnose your oral health needs more accurately. They allow us to see parts of the mouth that are difficult to see with the eyes. 

Cleaning

One of the most important parts of your dental checkup is a thorough cleaning of your teeth and gums. A regular cleaning will be provided unless there are signs of gum disease. If gum disease is apparent, a deeper cleaning of the gums will be conducted. These routine visits are recommended every 6 months to keep plaque and bacteria at bay… and you healthy! 

Dental exam

While your teeth are being cleaned, Dr. Bockrath will review your X-ray images. Once your teeth are clean, Dr. Bockrath will come discuss with you what he saw on your radiographs and thoroughly examine your mouth for signs of decay and gum disease. He will also review how your teeth fit together and look for signs of issues like teeth grinding or other jaw joint issues. 

From there, Dr. Bockrath will end his exam by checking your neck, lymph glands, palate, cheeks, tongue, lips, and other soft tissues of the mouth for signs of infection or cancer. 

Treatment

If all goes well at your appointment and no signs of disease or decay are found, then you will only need to come back in 6 months for your next checkup. However, if issues are found, Dr. Bockrath will work with you to develop a treatment plan to fit your needs. Sometimes, you may have to come for your next checkup sooner, or have an additional procedure scheduled to come back. For some patients, however, making changes at home is enough to improve your oral health and no further procedures will be needed. 

Make an Appointment with Mountain Aire Dentistry 

Dr. Bockrath and our team at Mountain Aire Dentistry are here for your dental health needs. Our office is conveniently located in Broomfield, CO — make an appointment today by calling us at (303)-731-7755.