Don’t Wait for an Emergency! Visit Your Dentist in Renton Today!

Visiting your dentist in Renton for a semi-annual cleaning and examination may not be your idea of a fun-filled day, but it can spare you from a great deal of suffering physically and financially. “But how?” You may ask. As you continue reading, you’ll discover just how important preventive dentistry is and how it helps to avoid dental emergencies.

What is Preventive Dentistry?

Preventive dentistry involves your six-month appointments with your dentist for cleanings and checkups. The activities at these visits are all geared toward enhancing your dental health; thus, there are some very involved steps.

Here’s what you can expect to happen:

• Your dental hygienist will first review your medical history with you to find out about any recent occurrences, which includes diagnoses from your primary physician, medications prescribed and other details.
• You’ll first receive a thorough cleaning to remove any built-up plaque and tartar. This is very important because these growths contribute majorly to tooth decay and gum disease.
• Your hygienist will then conduct the first of two examinations. This one will involve a probing of your oral cavity to make sure there are no signs of tooth decay or issues with your gums.
• If it’s your first visit, a series of X-Ray photographs will be taken to build a baseline by capturing images of the current state of your teeth and jawbone.
• Your dentist will first review your X-Rays and then conduct a second examination to check for such issues as jaw misalignment, teeth grinding and oral cancer.
• Your visit will conclude with a consultation with your dentist, where he will review the results of your examination with you and allow for any questions that you may have.

The thorough nature of these visits leaves you empowered because you’ll know exactly what the status of your oral health is, and will be able to participate in making any necessary adjustments to improve it.

What are Some Other Benefits of Preventive Care?

By not waiting for an emergency to happen before visiting your dentist, you actually help to prevent emergencies from occurring, because a great deal of them center on issues that could have been avoided.

Here are some of the benefits of being proactive:

• Lower Costs – You’ll save money. Preventive dentistry receives the highest coverage from insurance carriers, up to 100 percent for some of them. But as you move from basic to major procedures, you can expect your out-of-pocket costs to increase.
• Less Invasive Treatments – By visiting your dentist semi-annually, you’re less likely to have to endure invasive procedures like root canals, dental implants and others.
• Aesthetics – If you want to preserve your beautiful smile, the best way is through practicing excellent oral hygiene (which includes brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day) and visiting your emergency dentist in Renton regularly.

So are you ready to take a bold step to secure your oral health before an emergency strikes? If you are, then reach out to your local dentist to schedule an appointment today!

About the Author

A specialist in prosthetic dentistry, Dr. Sam DK Kim completed a 3-year post-graduate residency program in prosthodontics at the NOVA Southeastern University. While there, he also received hours of training in all areas of dentistry. Dr. Kim practices at SDK Dental Care and can be reached for more information through his website.