Most dentists and the American Dental Association (ADA) recommend regular dental care. Typically, this means seeing your dentist every six months for checkups and teeth cleanings. This schedule has been shown to reduce your cavity risks.
Your regular dental visits include:
- Dental Exam: A comprehensive visual exam of your teeth, gums, and oral tissues
- Teeth Cleaning and Gum Check: A professional teeth cleaning and periodontal assessment
- Digital Imaging: Periodic x-rays to compare changes and look beneath the surface
- Oral Cancer Screening: An oral cancer screening for early detection
Based on exam findings and your specific goals, your dentist may recommend additional preventive treatments, such as dental sealants, or discuss relevant treatment plans with you.
It’s important to remember that regular dental visits lower cavity risks, but these appointments are about more than your teeth.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
- What to Expect at Your Dental Checkup
- The Benefits of Regular Checkups and Dental Cleanings in Brentwood, TN
- Your Role in Optimal Oral Health
- Beyond the Dental Chair: An Emphasis on Oral Care and Systemic Wellness
- Why Choose Sullivan Dental Partners for Your Oral Health
- How We Keep Dentistry Affordable in Brentwood, TN
- Sullivan Dental Partners: Where Your Smile Is Our Priority
What to Expect at Your Dental Checkup
Don’t let the cozy and relaxing atmosphere fool you. Of course, our dental practice was designed to help patients feel at home and at ease. Yet, we are a modern dental office populated with compassionate and skilled dental professionals. In our clinic, you’ll find the latest treatments and technologies, including an in-house lab, laser dentistry, state-of-the-art dental exam rooms, digital imaging, and a smile simulator.
At our practice, you can always expect a warm greeting from team members who are passionate about their work, answers to all your questions, customized treatment planning, and guidance on best practices for your oral health.
Your exam finds your Brentwood dentist carefully evaluating your teeth, gums, and oral tissues for changes since your last visit. We take x-rays periodically to examine the underlying structure, checking for hidden or emerging oral health issues.
Your professional teeth cleanings remove the ingredients that cause dental health complications, including stubborn tartar, from your teeth and gums.
The Benefits of Regular Checkups and Dental Cleanings in Brentwood
Of course, regular dental checkups and cleanings help keep your smile healthy, but let’s break it down.
Regular preventive dental visits aid in the following:
- Reduced risk for tooth decay, oral infections, tooth loss, and gum disease
- Fresher breath, a brighter smile, and less tooth staining
- Help you stay in candidacy for advanced treatments such as cosmetic dentistry
- Supports systemic health
On a practical level, preventive dental care today can save you time and money on lengthy and expensive oral health complications tomorrow.
Your Role in Optimal Oral Health
Of course, it’s vital to keep your smile in top shape between dental visits, and we are here to guide you.
Ideally, you should brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss at least once. We also encourage you to contact our dental office if you notice any changes in your oral health between your six-month checkups, including recurring bad breath, gum irritation, or sores that don’t heal.
Our team can provide practical and custom advice, including dietary tips to help your smile thrive between visits to our dental office.
Beyond the Dental Chair: An Emphasis on Oral Care and Systemic Wellness
What some patients may not realize is that dental health is closely related to overall wellness, particularly through the impact of gum disease.
Gum disease is a staged oral health condition that starts as gingivitis. In the initial stage of gingivitis, your dentist can often cure the issue and restore your oral health. However, when gingivitis advances to periodontitis, it is only treatable, with treatment designed to save your teeth and lower your risks for systemic health complications, including:
- Heart health issues
- Lung health issues
- Pregnancy and birth complications
Newer studies even link uncontrolled gum disease to Rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.
Fortunately, your Brentwood dentist provides comprehensive periodontal disease treatment.
Additionally, regular dental care, combined with healthy habits at home, can significantly reduce your risk of gum disease, even if you have a family history of it.
Why Choose Sullivan Dental Partners for Your Oral Health
Sullivan Dental Partners has served the local community for decades and is synonymous with generational dentistry. In other words, we have treated multiple generations of families in Brentwood and the surrounding communities.
We have a whole staff of dentists in our clinic committed to patient care, ongoing education, and innovative technologies/solutions. Our skilled team members were hand-selected because they share our dentists’ passion for community and care.
When you’re with us, you’re in excellent hands. Additionally, we offer sedation dentistry for those who require a little extra reassurance, and we are always here to promptly treat your dental emergencies.
In short, we love what we do, and it shows!
How We Keep Dentistry Affordable in Brentwood, TN
As part of our commitment to patient care, we strive to make dentistry more accessible to families in the area. We understand that budgets are vital, and we want to help the community access the dental care they need and deserve.
If you don’t have dental insurance, it’s not a problem. Ask a dental team member about our exclusive membership plan, including limits, exclusions, and benefits.
Further, we are pleased to accept third-party financing through:
- Proceed
- Cherry Finance
- PatientFi
- Sunbit
- CareCredit
You can apply for financing here, and decisions are typically prompt.
Besides our membership plan and financing options, we’re pleased to bill your insurance on your behalf and help you navigate the fine print of your policy. We see many patients who are not in network with our doctors. Talk to a dental team member if you have questions.
Sullivan Dental Partners: Where Your Smile Is Our Priority
Remember, your time in the dental chair is about more than just tooth health. It’s about fresh breath, a brighter smile, and your systemic health. To learn more about our approach to dental care or to book a consultation with one of our Brentwood dentists, call us today at (615) 373-1012.
We look forward to prioritizing your oral health!