In many states across the country, dentists were limited to only handling dental emergencies. As a result, many regular dental cleanings and exams were cancelled. People had to focus on keeping their teeth healthy without checking in regularly with their dentists. Now, the CDC has released guidelines for dentists to open back up and start seeing patients.
If you have kept to your dental hygiene routine, then likely your teeth are doing fine. You might even be considering putting off rescheduling your next cleaning and exam. Here is why you should get back on track with your dental cleanings and exams at your Fallbrook dentist, instead of avoiding them.
Check for Potential Issues
During this time of being at home, your eating habits might not have been the best. You might have increased your sugar intake, as well as eaten less than healthy foods. That means that your teeth might have incurred some damage that could lead to cavities or other issues. Having a cleaning and exam means that your dentist can identify any issues and work out a plan to address them.
Deal with Any Nagging Pain
Perhaps you have had a tooth bothering you or some issues with bleeding gums but did not feel it was a dental emergency. Now is the time to get in and have those things checked out as part of your dental cleaning and exam with your Fallbrook dentist. They can answer any questions and help you make adjustments to your dental hygiene routine before the problems get any worse.
If additional procedures need to be scheduled, then your Fallbrook dentist can assist with determining what needs to be done and when it should be completed, as well as what is a higher priority in terms of keeping your other teeth and gums healthy.
Check for Oral Cancer
Checking for signs of oral cancer is just one part of your dental exam. By getting in for your regular checkup, then you can make sure that nothing has popped up. If there are some potential issues, your Fallbrook dentist can recommend the next steps to address any signs of oral cancer right away. This process will likely include going to a specialist for additional screening and to learn about potential treatment options.
Scheduling Additional Procedures
Part of your regular dental cleanings and exams involves planning for additional procedures, including the scheduling of crowns, pulling wisdom teeth, or other oral surgery. By getting back with your Fallbrook dentist, you can make sure that any of these necessary procedures are scheduled and can be completed in a way to limit pain or other potential issues with your teeth and gums.
Clearly, there are a variety of benefits when it comes to addressing your dental care needs by regularly scheduling your dental cleanings and exams. Your Fallbrook dentist will also be putting in place safety measures as part of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact us today to learn more about what our team is doing to keep you safe while addressing your dental care needs.
Gernot Winkler, DDS, is dedicated to serving clients with general and family, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. Located in Fallbrook, Dr. Winkler sees patients throughout San Diego County including neighboring cities such as Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow, and Temecula.