Dental Care: Why Routine Visits Are Vital to Oral Health

Taking a proactive approach to your oral health is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your overall well-being. At Summit Dental Partners, we believe that a dental visit is about far more than just a routine cleaning — it’s an essential part of maintaining a healthy, confident smile and supporting your whole-body health.

Regular dental checkups allow us to detect issues early, often before you notice any symptoms yourself. From identifying signs of chronic conditions to evaluating how your medications may affect your oral health, these visits offer insight far beyond the surface.

Our goal is to help you enjoy a brighter, healthier smile and ensure each visit is comfortable and rewarding. Here’s why scheduling your dental cleanings in advance is one of the smartest habits you can adopt.

How Often Should You Visit the Dentist? 

How often should you visit your dentist? Once a year? Twice a year? More? Less? The American Dental Association recommends you visit the dentist every six months for professional teeth cleaning. 

That recommendation can change depending on your oral health. Those prone to cavities or treating gum disease may need more frequent visits. 

You may need more visits if you have dental issues due to chronic diseases like diabetes or certain forms of cancer. Some medications may cause dental problems, such as dry mouth, that require more frequent visits. 

Your dentist will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums during your regular visit. This will help them determine whether you have any conditions that require more frequent visits. 

What Is Preventative Dental Care?

You may have heard “preventative dental care” or “preventive dental care.” What exactly do they mean? 

Preventative dental care covers a variety of dental treatments, including:

Why Is Preventative Dental Care So Important?

Preventative dental care means more than cleaning your teeth. You give your teeth a basic cleaning twice a day every day (right?) when you brush and floss. So why do you need a dentist to clean them, too?

Toothbrushes and flossing tools today do a great job of keeping teeth clean at home. The technology in electric toothbrushes has come a long way from old manual brushes in cleaning away as much bacteria and plaque as possible. 

However, teeth aren’t smooth and often aren’t entirely straight. Some places may be awkward to reach, such as the back of your incisors (front teeth) or the nooks and crannies of your molars (back teeth). 

Plaque can build up and harden in these places, becoming tartar. This holds bacteria against your teeth and can accelerate tooth decay and gum disease. Without proper cleaning, you can get cavities and gum disease. 

So, how do you prevent cavities? How can you prevent gum disease if flossing alone doesn’t work? That’s where a professional teeth cleaning comes in. 

Our specialized tools and techniques clean those areas you may not reach easily. We can also scrape away tartar, which is unsafe to do at home. 

What If I Have Cavities?

If you find you have a cavity, do you know how to prevent it from getting worse? Once again, a dental visit can solve this problem.

Using dental X-rays and imaging, we can find cavities you may not be able to see and determine how severe they are. Finding cavities early can help prevent cavities from getting worse.

We can then repair your cavities, which is considered restorative dentistry. We will remove the cavity and fill the hole with composite resin fillings to prevent further tooth deterioration. Without this, the cavity could work its way to the living part of the tooth and cause an infection or death of the tooth. 

How Do I Prevent Cavities? 

We can also help prevent cavities using fluoride treatments and dental sealants. 

A fluoride treatment can help strengthen your enamel, which makes it harder for cavities to form. Fluoride interacts with your saliva to strengthen the minerals in your tooth’s enamel, the hard outer, protective shell of your tooth. A fluoride treatment is far stronger than standard toothpaste. It is brushed onto the tooth and is often used on children’s teeth, especially those prone to tooth decay. 

A dental sealant is precisely as it sounds — it seals your teeth to prevent cavities and tooth decay. The sealant is usually made of a resin that is brushed on the top surface of molars to prevent tooth decay in the tiny crevices found there. The sealant hardens and prevents bacteria from entering the crevices and causing cavities. 

These are just some of the ways we can prevent cavities and gum disease with your regular dental visits. 

Additional Tips for Dental Wellness and Gum Health

In addition to these treatments, simple daily habits can protect your gums and teeth between visits. Brush and floss your teeth regularly, but remember that your gum line needs care too. If untreated, dental plaque buildup around the gums can lead to bad breath, bone loss, and even root canals.

During a regular dental checkup, we assess your gum tissue for signs of the early stages of disease. Some medical conditions and weakened immune systems can increase risk, making cavity prevention and treatment options like deep cleaning even more important.

Protect your smile and health by scheduling your next dental check today.

Protect Your Smile with a Regular Dental Checkup in Summit, NJ

Regular dental checkups are important in protecting your oral and overall health. Since your mouth is the starting point for digestion, poor dental health can impact nutrition and even lead to broader health concerns.

Your dentist is also your first defense against issues like cavities, gum disease, and early signs of oral cancer. We’d love to care for your smile if you’re in Summit, NJ. Schedule your appointment with Summit Dental Partners today.