Dental Digital Xrays: How Often Do You Need Them and Why?
Nobody can deny the importance of teeth. Not only do they provide the basis of a gorgeous smile, but they provide the much more important function of allowing food to be digested properly. Unfortunately, people often take their teeth for granted until they begin to have issues with them. Sensitivity, pain, and soreness are all indications there is a problem that needs to be examined by a dentist. Very often one of the first things a dentistdoes is take x-rays of the teeth. Since they are obviously important for the dentist, this brings up the question of how often are x-rays needed and why?
A good rule of thumb is having checkup dental x-rays performed every year and then a full series of digital x-rays performed every five years. The reason for this is a simple one, tooth decay often starts slowly but then progresses rapidly if it is not caught early on. While the professionals of Advanced Dentistry of Blakeney, a South Charlotte cosmetic dental office, understand that clients try to maintain proper hygienic habits, there are many factors that can contribute to problems. The consumption of sweets, gum, and even breath mints all can lead to the decay of the teeth. In addition, if a patients mouth begins to produce less saliva, then it can also cause the teeth to decay quickly. Having digital x-rays performed catches this decay at the early stages, so it can be prevented from spreading further.
Dental x-rays catch other things beyond just decay, however. They also are used to look for things like abscesses in the mouth and the beginning stages of bone loss around the teeth. These are very serious issues that should be caught as early as possible to prevent any permanent consequences. X-rays are also useful for tracking the development of wisdom teeth. This is particularly important because wisdom teeth can sometimes be not just painful but cause other problems in the mouth. They can crowd other teeth and cause them to be misaligned. Even more painfully, they can become impacted and never actually make it through the gum due to adjacent teeth or some other issue. Whatever the problem with wisdom teeth may be, their progress needs to be followed so they can be taken out at the appropriate time.
The dentists of Advanced Dentistry of Blakeney understand that the mouth is actually quite a complicated thing. There are many issues that can arise with teeth despite proper oral hygiene. This is where dental digital x-rays play an important role. No matter if the problem is tooth decay or an abscess, it will be revealed so it can be treated properly. While it is understandable that some people may be squeamish about their level of exposure to radiation, the fact that these x-rays are digital means they use much less radiation than the typical person is exposed to by walking around in the sun. Do not let fear keep anyone from utilizing this powerful tool. Protect future health and see the benefits dental x-rays provide.
Give Advanced Dentistry of Blakeney a call today to scheduled your next checkup for a dental exam and digital x-rays.
