Your mouth may seem okay now, but things can change quite quickly. It’s possible for a grin to get cavities, infections, and worse in just days, especially when you neglect your teeth and gums. All that said, never fear – dental checkups and cleanings in Shorewood are here! Frequent visits with Dr. Mueller will ensure your smile remains safe, strong, and stable. For details on that point, just keep reading or book your consultation today!

Why Are Regular Dental Checkups & Cleanings Important?

Regular dental checkups (and cleanings) are crucial to your oral health, however dull they may seem. Failing to get them costs you and your smile more over time.

Note that these visits are the best form of preventive oral care. Through each one, a dental team thoroughly removes your smile’s plaque – the bacterial film that causes tooth decay, gum disease, etc. That means neglecting your checkups and cleanings would weaken your smile. After a while, such neglect causes bacterial buildup and increases your risk of pain and dental emergencies.

Dental checkups and cleanings are also money and time savers. They only last an hour each and enjoy coverage from most dental plans, so the sessions are highly cost-effective. In contrast, skipping them just results in costly and time-consuming treatments later. These other options – root canals, tooth extractions, and so on – greatly eat into one’s budget and schedule.

What to Expect During a Dental Checkup

When you visit us for a dental checkup, you should expect several key steps. These include:

• An Oral Exam – A dental hygienist will start the checkup by performing an oral exam. Through this assessment, we can check your teeth, bite, and prior dental work for issues; we’ll also screen you for oral cancer.
• Dental X-Rays – At least once yearly, your oral exam with us will feature dental X-rays. The reason for that fact is simple: X-rays help us find hidden problems in your mouth.
• Medical History Review – We usually try to update your patient history during each checkup. That way, we’ll know whether past illnesses or medications affect your oral health.
• A Treatment Plan(s) – Should we spot any oral issues, we’ll draft a custom treatment plan for you. Dr. Mueller will then explain his suggestions to you step by step.
• Some Q&A – To wrap up your checkup, we’ll let you ask a few care-related questions.

What to Expect During a Dental Cleaning 

Our team will always clean your smile after a checkup. In doing so, we’ll perform the following types of work:

• Plaque Removal – Our hygienist(s) will use specialized instruments to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth (and along your gums).
• Careful Flossing – Amidst the cleaning, we’ll floss between your teeth and eliminate plaque we might’ve missed earlier.
• Tooth Polishing – We’ll polish your teeth (to remove minor stains) after we’ve finished the initial cleaning. Once that’s done, you’ll have a visibly brighter smile!
• Applying Fluoride – Depending on the situation, our hygienist may apply fluoridated gel to your smile. This gel will strengthen your enamel and protect it from decay and cavities.