Buckwalter
Dental Care
Thinking about skipping your next 6-month dental cleaning and oral exam? Think again! Regular checkups are absolutely essential for your oral health. If you see Dr. Joel Darrah of Buckwalter Dental Care for a check-up every 6 months, you can get a brighter, more beautiful smile, and avoid more complex dental treatments, saving you time, pain and money.
Why Should I
Get A Teeth Cleaning Every Six Months?
Simply put, it’s the best way to ensure that your mouth is healthy, and that any potential oral health issues you have are addressed quickly, before they become serious. Regular cleanings can also:
Stop gum disease in its tracks – Gum disease is caused by poor oral hygiene, but it can often be detected and treated before it becomes serious if you see your dentist regularly.
Avoid tooth decay, cavities, and root canals – Teeth cleanings and oral exams allow oral hygienists and dentists to identify tooth decay before it progresses into a serious cavity or tooth infection that requires root canal therapy. Often, minor cases of tooth decay can be reversed with proper cleaning habits and fluoride treatments. No fillings required!
Remove plaque and tartar to cure bad breath – Plaque is a sticky, colorless substance that is composed of the bacteria that grow in our mouths. Over time, this can harden into tartar. Tartar is a cement-like substance that is often found between the teeth and gums, and it can cause gum inflammation and halitosis (bad breath.) Dental hygienists can eliminate tartar, restoring your mouth and preventing bad breath.
Save money with preventative dentistry – A teeth cleaning and oral exam are the most basic and inexpensive procedures that dentists perform. Plus, they are almost always covered by dental insurance plans. From simple fillings to complex periodontal treatment, the cost for services only goes up from there. Getting a regular oral exam helps you save money, because you can avoid these more expensive restorative dentistry procedures.
Improve your smile – Last, and certainly not least, oral exams and teeth cleanings improve your smile. Powerful dental toothbrushes and professional cleaning techniques can help eliminate stains and brighten your teeth.
That’s not all, either. X-rays and oral exams can also help detect other health issues, such as potential cases of oral cancer.
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what is included
In A Dental Cleaning And Exam?
Dental cleanings and exams can take between 30-60 minutes depending on your oral health. An oral exam will be performed to check for signs of decay, gum disease, and oral cancer.
If your dentist does not already have an x-ray of your mouth on file, if it has been a while since you’ve had one, or if an x-ray is necessary to get a closer look at certain teeth, an x-ray may be taken to get an overall view of your teeth and to help spot any signs of decay or gum disease.
For the cleaning portion of the appointment, your dentist will perform scaling to remove plaque and tartar buildup from above and below the gum line. A dental tool known as a tooth scaler is used to scrape away plaque and tartar that has hardened between your teeth. Tartar cannot be removed at home and requires professional cleaning for removal.
Next, Dr. Joel Darrah will clean your teeth with dentist-grade gritty toothpaste to thoroughly eliminate bacteria and stains from the teeth, and to polish them. After cleaning your teeth, Dr. Darrah will thoroughly floss in between every tooth. Then, you will rinse out any residual debris with a fluoride mouthwash.
The appointment is concluded with a fluoride treatment. The fluoride varnish will be painted onto your teeth and only takes a few minutes. You will then rinse it out and be asked to refrain from eating for the next 30 minutes. Fluoride treatments contain higher concentrations of fluoride than at-home products for significant protection against cavities and tooth decay.
how do I care
For My Teeth Between Dental Visits?
It’s important to practice good oral hygiene year-round, even when you aren’t visiting the dentist. You should properly brush your teeth twice a day and floss once each day. To brush properly, gently brush your teeth with a soft-bristle toothbrush in combination with toothpaste that contains fluoride. Don’t use a hard-bristle toothbrush or brush too abrasively, as over time this could damage your enamel or your gums.
Your toothbrush should be tilted at a 45-degree angle to thoroughly remove plaque and food particles from both your teeth and gums. Your toothbrush should be replaced every 3 months or it can harbor harmful bacteria.
One place in the mouth that patients tend to neglect is the tongue, which harbors a lot of bacteria. After brushing your teeth, give your tongue a brush or use a tongue scraper. Get enough fluoride by drinking fluoridated water and using toothpaste and mouthwashes that contain fluoride.
Finally, protect your teeth by only using them to chew food. Your teeth should not be used as tools to open packages, or for anything else. Wear a mouthguard at night if you grind your teeth to minimize your risk of cracking or chipping your teeth.
Maintain a good diet by drinking lots of water and eating fibrous vegetables. Limit your intake of sugar, carbohydrates, and acidic drinks, as these increase your risk of cavities and tooth decay.
what toothbrush
Do Dentists Recommend?
The most important thing to consider when brushing your teeth is that you are doing it properly and for the right length of time. If you’re doing it right, then the specific toothbrush you use will have a negligible impact. However, dentists do recommend using a soft-bristle brush because stiff bristles are no more effective at cleaning your teeth and can cause enamel erosion.
A toothbrush with a small, round head is preferable because it is easier to maneuver in the back of the mouth to clean the hard-to-reach crevices of the back molars. Electric toothbrushes can also be more effective at removing plaque, especially ones that rotate and oscillate.
While manual toothbrushes can do just as good of a job, they require a bit more effort and scrubbing on your part. For this reason, electric toothbrushes can make properly cleaning your teeth easier.
To get children excited about cleaning their teeth, they should be included in the process as much as possible. One way to make teeth brushing fun is to let them pick out their toothbrush. They’re more likely to use it if they had a say in choosing it. Also, be sure to monitor them while they brush their teeth, and only let them use a small amount of toothpaste.
Don’t Fear The Dentist
We Offer Sedation Dentistry To All Our Patients!
If you are scared of going to the dentist, or suffer from dental anxiety, you may be inclined to avoid your six-month checkup. Well, don’t worry! At Buckwalter Dental Care, Dr. Darrah offers sedation dentistry to keep you calm and pain-free! We can use oral (pill-based) sedation or nitrous oxide to help you cope with your anxiety, and ensure that you get the professional dental treatment that you need. Your comfort is our #1 priority. See our patient testimonials for more about our sedation dentistry services, and our approach to treating dental anxiety!
Come To Buckwalter Dental Care
For Your Next Dental Cleaning And Oral Exam!
Whether you need an emergency dentist in Bluffton, or you just need a new Bluffton dentist for you and your children, Dr. Darrah is a great choice. He is a big believer in the power of preventative dental care, and regular checkups. With our informative, patient-focused approach to dentistry, you will have everything you need to take control of your oral health. Contact Buckwalter Dental Care at (843) 815-3232, or come to our office at 31 Innovation Drive Unit 2, Bluffton, SC 29910.
