Dental Checkups & Cleanings – Houston, TX
Foundational Prevention for a Healthy Smile
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one in four people in the United States have at least one untreated cavity. While these kinds of small dental issues seem harmless and easily ignored, they can quickly spiral into more serious conditions.
This is why Dr. Lawton and the rest of our team believe that dental checkups and cleanings at least twice per year are one of the foundations of good oral health. Read on to discover how this simple preventive maintenance on your smile is well worth the effort and then give us a call to schedule your appointment!
Why Choose Mark E. Lawton DDS for Dental Checkups & Cleanings?
- Friendly And Experienced Dentist
- Dental Insurance & Flexible Financing Welcome
- Advanced Dental Diagnostic Technology
Why Are Regular Dental Checkups & Cleanings Important?
It’s easy to get into a mindset that skipping dental appointments is fine if your oral health looks and feels good. However, this can be a slippery slope to neglect that may end up costing you a lot of time and money. Smaller issues like cavities and gum disease can hide in dark or unseen crevices in your mouth, gradually worsening without your knowledge.
Before you know it, you could be in pain with a severe toothache or red, irritated gums that could have been prevented. Dental checkups allow us to find unseen issues before they become expensive dental disasters. By the same token, dental cleanings can clear away plaque, tartar, and other debris that your home routine might miss. Together, these preventive steps help keep your whole mouth healthy and feeling fresh longer.
What to Expect During a Dental Checkup
Even though a dental checkup seems straightforward, a lot is going on that you may not realize. Here’s what you can expect from a typical checkup at our office:
- First, a visual inspection of your teeth and gums is performed using special instruments that help Dr. Lawton find hidden issues.
- Next, you’ll undergo an oral cancer screening that looks for patches of discoloration or lumps in your mouth that may indicate cancer is present.
- After that, a set of X-rays is taken. However, this generally only happens once per year so we can see how your teeth and underlying jaw structure have changed.
- Next, we’ll create a treatment plan for you based on the information we’ve gathered from your checkup.
- Finally, you’ll have time for a question-and-answer session where you can voice any concerns or ask for clarification on various aspects of your treatment.
What to Expect During a Dental Cleaning
Cleanings are usually performed by our expert dental hygienists and progress in stages from general to detailed. Even if your oral hygiene routine at home is fantastic, there are some places your brush and floss just can’t reach. This is why it’s vitally important to have your teeth thoroughly cleaned by a professional twice a year. Here’s what you can expect at your cleaning:
- First, your teeth are inspected, and bits of plaque and tartar are removed using special instruments.
- Next, your teeth are flossed thoroughly which can reveal telltale signs of gingivitis like bleeding gums.
- Afterward, your teeth are polished with a special paste that helps remove surface stains and keep your pearly whites looking beautiful.
- As a final step, our team may recommend a fluoride treatment to keep the enamel of your teeth strong and remineralize soft areas, so they don’t turn into cavities.