Your oral health can affect the rest of your body and health. While that is one reason to maintain your smile, it isn’t the only one. To do this, you need a dentist. Armed with a dentist and the right tools to clean your teeth at home, you can prevent tooth decay and have a healthy mouth and body. If you’re still not sure, it can be helpful to learn how New York general dentistry can benefit you.
Evaluate
When you go to the dentist for a routine check-up, the dentist looks at your gums, teeth, and mouth to see if there are bacteria and other issues. If you have problems with your oral hygiene, they can give you tips to keep your teeth cleaner and healthier between visits.
Prevent
Primarily, the dentist’s job is to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. They do this by cleaning your teeth once every six months. They scrape away any tartar and plaque from the teeth and polish them. They also check the gums; if they see any redness or you complain about spitting out blood, they might perform a more thorough cleaning of your teeth and also clean along the gum line.
Along with prevention, they can also detect problems much earlier. For example, if you have a small cavity, it is easier to repair if you catch it early enough. You can have a simple filling rather than waiting until you’re in severe pain and a root canal or extraction are necessary.
Restore
While their primary goal is to prevent problems, they can also restore your teeth to their former health by keeping up with fillings and more. Sometimes, they offer cosmetic dentistry, as well. You can have a brighter, whiter smile with tooth whitening, veneers, and other cosmetic procedures, which ensures that your smile looks its best.