Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings in Huntington Beach
A healthy smile is worth keeping. That’s why the dedicated dentist and dentistry team at Pacific View Dental Group partner with patients to keep their smiles healthy for a lifetime with regular dental checkups and professional teeth cleanings. While many patients don’t think these biannual exams are important, they are actually the best way to keep your smile healthy and functional for a lifetime. By visiting our Huntington Beach dental team for exams and cleanings every six months, we are able to partner with them to avoid oral health concerns with effective at-home care. These regular appointments also make it easier for us to diagnose oral health conditions that can’t be prevented in the earliest stages, ensuring we’re able to provide the most conservative treatment options. If you want to find out more or schedule your six month dental exams and teeth cleanings in Huntington Beach, don’t hesitate to call our Pacific View Dental Group team. We welcome patients of all ages, and we look forward to seeing you soon.
How Often Should I Visit the Dentist?
We recommend visiting our office at least two times each year for adult patients who don’t struggle with frequent tooth decay, gum disease, or other chronic oral health conditions. This frequency is recommended by the American Dental Association to help patients keep their smiles healthy and avoid major dental issues. Most dental insurance providers also encourage patients to maintain their regular preventive dental exams by offering 80 to 100% coverage for the costs of these dentistry services.
What Happens During Dental Exams?
During a dental exam at Pacific View Dental Group, you can expect to receive the following services:
- Diagnostics – we will capture x-ray scans and images to help us get a complete picture of your current oral health
- Screenings – we will carefully examine your smile for warning signs of common oral health conditions, including tooth decay, gum disease, teeth grinding and clenching, TMJ dysfunction, and oral cancer
- Cleanings – a skilled hygienist will carefully remove plaque and tartar from the hardest to access parts of teeth
- Consultations – we sit down with patients one on one to discuss oral health concerns, treatment options, and develop a plan for maintaining their healthiest smiles
If I Brush & Floss Daily, Do I Need a Professional Cleaning?
The short answer is – yes. Even the most diligent at-home tooth brushing and flossing routine will not be able to remove plaque from every part of the tooth. There are some parts of the tooth that can’t be accessed by even a single toothbrush bristle. Additionally, plaque buildup on the surfaces of teeth begins to harden into tartar in just twelve hours, and this hardened plaque has to be removed by a professional. In order to ensure your healthiest smile, regular cleanings by a professional are necessary.
What are the Benefits of Regular Checkups & Teeth Cleanings?
When you visit the dentist for regular checkups and cleanings, you can expect to experience a number of benefits, including:
- Reduced risk for tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health conditions
- Early diagnosis for chronic health conditions like TMJ dysfunction and oral cancer
- Improved oral hygiene leading to healthier looking teeth
- Decreased chances for tooth loss
- Resources to protect teeth from grinding and clenching, sports related injuries, and other issues before they begin
- Maximize dental insurance since the majority of benefit plans provide the most coverage for preventive care
Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings FAQs
How much does a dental checkup and cleaning cost without insurance?
As you may already know, most dental insurance providers cover the cost of preventive care, including checkups and cleanings. But what if you don’t have dental insurance? While several factors need to be considered, including whether or not X-rays need to be taken, most patients who are paying out of pocket pay between $75 and $200.
With that said, most patients find it beneficial to sign up for our in-house benefits program instead, since it includes 1-2 doctor exams, needed X-rays, and several other cost-saving perks. If you are interested in learning more about it, including how to sign up, give us a call!
What should I do if I need a dental cleaning but I’m too afraid to go to the dentist?
If you struggle with dental-related anxiety due to a bad experience in the past, a fear of needles, or because the sights, sounds, and smells put you on edge, don’t worry – you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through your appointments. Once we know a little more about your concerns, we can determine the best way to alleviate them. For instance, if you struggle with stress, nerves, and worry, then Dr. Arditti can guide you through soothing breathing exercises (she’s a certified yoga instructor!).
How do dental hygienists clean teeth with braces?
That depends on the type of braces you have! After all, Invisalign aligners are removable, which allows your dental hygienist to proceed with removing plaque and tartar as usual. If you have traditional braces, however, then they will need to spend a bit more time cleaning around the brackets and wires.
Is it okay to only visit the dentist once a year?
While going once a year is better than not going at all, the American Dental Association recommends scheduling a dental checkup and teeth cleaning every six months. That way, we can periodically complete an oral cancer screening, catch gum disease in the early stages, and help prevent tartar accumulation.
Important reminder: Although coming in annually instead of biannually may initially seem like a good way to save money, it usually leads to the opposite outcome. After all, tooth decay, gum disease, and other common oral health problems can develop and progress rapidly. The sooner we can catch issues like these, the easier they are to treat and, as a result, the lower the bill.