Quote:
Originally Posted by FreshFresh
I know you need cleaning. But is x-ray needed as well?
|
1) Dental check-ups don't necessarily have to be yearly. It depends on the patient's needs and their risk factors (diet, oral hygiene, smoking/drug habits, genetics, systemic health). Some patients need to be seen more frequently (i.e. every three months) while others maybe not.
2) Not everyone needs the same type of cleaning. Some only need a prophylaxis/preventative cleaning to remove small stains and light plaque build-up. These patients have not yet developed any sort of irreversible gum disease. If your dentist diagnosis you with gum disease/periodontitis at your check-up, then a prophylaxis is no longer the type of cleaning you need. You may need a "deep" cleaning known as scaling and root planning, or, depending on the severity of your gum disease, surgery.
3) Your cardiologist cannot tell you how healthy your heart is simply by listening with their stethoscope. Similarly, your dentist cannot give you a complete picture of your oral health just by looking in your mouth. The earlier dental problems are detected, the easier, less costly, and less painful they are to treat. For these reasons, you should have dental x-rays at regular intervals. How regular depends on each patient, but there are guidelines set by the American Dental Association depending on, again, risk factors. For example, someone who has a history of gum disease or a lot of fillings/crowns in their mouth are at a higher risk for developing recurrent problems, therefore they should get x-rays more frequently than someone who does not have those issues.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
