Dental care is an important factor in maintaining your health. Not only do regular dental visits maintain good oral health, but it also helps to prevent things such as cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer. Ensuring routine dental visits are attended is equally as important as regular health checks with your primary care physician. Conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease have been linked to poor dental hygiene, gum disease, and bacterial buildup.

A general dental visit, depending on your current health needs, consists of x-rays, a deep cleaning by a hygienist, and a visual observation of tooth and gum health by a dentist. Below are several tell-tell signs that you need to seek out a dentist for treatment.

Signs you need Dental Treatment

The body is a wonderful and mysterious thing. It consists of many different working parts to keep us healthy and on the go. When something is wrong, there are several tell-tell signs that you need to seek professional care; the mouth is no different. Below are signs you should seek dental treatment.

• Ulcers that last more than three weeks: There are three different types of ulcers including minor, major, and herpetiform. A minor ulcer is typically small, round, and goes away without scarring in one to two weeks. A major ulcer is larger and deeper than a minor ulcer. It has irregular edges, can linger for up to six weeks, and usually leaves behind a scar. Herpetiform ulcers consist of 10-100 pinpoint clusters with irregular edges and heal within one to two weeks with no scarring.
• Swollen or bleeding gums: This can be caused by hormonal changes, lack of nutrition, blood disorders, or gum disease.
• Halitosis: Also known as chronic bad breath, halitosis can last several days to weeks. It is rare with less than 200,000 cases per year.
• New or worsening sensitivity to hold or cold food and beverages.
• Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) also known as lockjaw: TMJ is often accompanied by jaw pain, an earache, difficulty, or pain when chewing, and locking of the jaw making it difficult to open or close your mouth.

Prevention

Routine dental care is like taking your vitamins. There are many daily things you can do at home to reduce your risk of serious dental conditions such as:

• Brush your teeth twice a day
• Floss at least once per day
• Decrease your sugar intake
• Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Avoid tobacco products
• Participate in routine dental checkups and cleanings

At Dental Group of Simi Valley, we have been providing beautiful smiles to the residents of Simi Valley, CA for decades. We were established in 1963 by Dr. Ivan Berger and is now run by his son, Dr. Herschel Berger, and daughter-in-law Dr. Laura Jen Kin.

Our staff uses state-of-the-art equipment to provide excellent patient care including CEREC dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, emergency dental visits, family dental care including braces, teeth whitening, and veneers.

Ongoing dental visits and cleanings are one way to keep your body healthy and monitor health issues. Young or old, routine dental visits give patients peace of mind. As children grow, their teeth change significantly. Children often need fillings due to a lack of proper brushing or alignment procedures, like braces, as mouth structure changes as children grow.

Our dentists at Dental Group of Simi Valley are trained to spot any signs of failing health, such as a significant buildup of bacteria or gum disease. Our mouth can tell a lot about our general health which is why your dentist may recommend a follow-up visit to your primary care doctor should he/she notice any negative signs.

General dental visits aid in preventing cavities and tooth decay. With each cleaning, you are removing plaque and bacterial buildup. Your dentist can also provide brushing techniques to optimize your oral hygiene should they notice a significant buildup.

As a second-generation, family-owned business, we understand how important your family is to you. Therefore, we strive to provide the highest standard of care to our community. The health of every patient is important to us. Call today to schedule a dental cleaning for your health and a confident smile.