Receive Preventative Care from Our Dental Office

Our dental office knows that one of the most important visits you can ever make to our dentist office is the routine visits twice a year to ensure that your teeth stay in optimal health. We find that one of the most effective treatment options is preventive care. Thus, we provide dental care that helps prevent some of the most serious problems from occurring.

People who come to our office at least twice a year find that we are able to take preventive measures like checking teeth for soft spots, cleaning teeth appropriately, checking gums for the onset of gum disease, and even conducting oral cancer screenings, which ultimately result in healthier teeth for a longer duration of time.

What We Do At Your Dental Appointments

Many patients have asked what exactly it is we do that requires them to come in at least once every six months. The answer is simple. When you come into our dental office for your bi-annual cleaning and examination, we will -

Take a series of X-rays

This includes Panorama X-rays, that give us an initial idea of the condition of your teeth. Over time, we will treat you for any defects in your teeth and in your gums so those initial x-rays eventually will need to be replaced with more up-to-date ones.

During your annual visit, we will need to take new X-rays to make sure we are checking on the health of your teeth, identifying potential problems, and looking for any possible resorption of the jawbone. This is why you need a comprehensive examination a minimum of once a year and preferably twice a year.

Clean your teeth

We will be performing a complete and thorough cleaning of your teeth. When you come to our dental office, we will use the tools at our disposal to a clean plaque that has accumulated in places your toothbrush cannot normally reach. Even if you're one of those conscientious people who brush their teeth twice a day for a minimum of two minutes each time, you will find that there are places your toothbrush cannot reach.

Plaque and tartar tend to accumulate in these spots, which is why we need to remove them during your bi-annual visits to ensure that the plaque does not lead to cavities.

Complete an oral cancer screening

We do this to ensure that if there any signs or symptoms of oral cancer, we can catch that very early on and start you on treatment.

Give you a new toothbrush

One of the most important reasons why you should visit our dental office at least once every six months is because we use this opportunity to remind you that it's time to change your toothbrush, or toothbrush head if you use an electric toothbrush. Toothbrushes tend to get too worn to continue using after six months, which is why you will always leave our office with a gift of a brand-new toothbrush and dental floss.

What’s the bottom line?

If you have not been to the dentist for some time, we encourage you to call our office and schedule an appointment today. Request a dental appointment here: http://www.gatewaydental.org or call Gateway Dental Dr. William Swann DDS at (301) 485-7492 for an appointment in our Bowie dental office.