At a routine dental examination, your Virginia Beach, VA dentist can recognize any issues that might call for restorative dental work, or determine if you might benefit from a special periodontal cleaning. What you should know is that you can recognize certain signs of poor oral health when you are at home, too! While your daily checks are not an effective substitute for preventive dental care, watching for problems can offer important benefits. Knowing that something might be wrong can encourage you to practice better oral care at home, or it can alert you to the need to reach out to your dentist to schedule treatment for something that can worsen over time.
Pay Attention To These Issues With Your Gums
Gingivitis can cause symptoms that you will be able to identify on your own. One of those symptoms is a sensitivity to bleeding when you brush and floss. If this often occurs, it can be a warning that your gums have become infected. By recognizing the issue and addressing it through more thorough care at your gum line, you can fight the bacteria responsible. Other issues you can recognize are swelling or discoloration of your gum tissues, or problems with a receding gum line.
Can I Spot Symptoms Of A Cavity?
You may not notice that a cavity has formed right away. When people never see their dentist for routine exams, they can ignore a problem until it requires more than just a dental filling. With that said, you should recognize when more serious symptoms are present, as these can warn you of an advanced cavity. Pain, sensitivity, or changes in a tooth’s color can alert you to the need for a root canal procedure, which can save a tooth before it is completely lost.
Recognizing Signs Of Bruxism
If you let problems with bruxism go untreated, you could wind up with dental damage that requires restorative dental work. Pay attention to the way you feel when you wake up – dental pain, jaw stiffness, or pains in your face and neck can be indicators of teeth grinding. With a custom appliance from your dentist, you can stop harm from occurring when your teeth grind. You can also address this problem by cutting down on your consumption of alcohol, and also cutting back on caffeine, as both can potentially cause grinding to occur. Focusing on stress relief measures before bed can also help.
Your Virginia Beach, VA Dentist Can Help You Address Poor Oral Health
At our Virginia Beach, VA dentist’s office, you can count on having issues with poor oral health addressed. Our practice is proud to provide a range of beneficial dental services for patients – to learn how we can help you, please call Absolute Dental Care at (757) 428-7440.
