What Is a Dental Recare Exam?

One of the many vital roles of the mouth is that it is the front-line of digestive function. Coincidentally, good oral health is essential for our physical well-being. Obtaining oral and overall wellness depends on visiting people who care about your health, and are as committed as you are to proactive maintenance and collaborative problem solving.

The best way to maintain strong oral health is through good eating and home-based oral hygiene habits.  Additionally, regular dental exams and cleanings are important to maintain oral health and ensure you are on track at home. This article looks at one of the most common types of exams—the dental recare exam—and why it is the foundation of achieving optimized oral health.

What to Expect During a Dental Recare Exam

Every recare exam may vary slightly between clients based upon the situation, need, and/or clinician. However, there are some relatively universal steps to a standard exam and cleaning. The following are some of the common procedures typically undertaken during a hygiene recare appointment with a holistic approach: 

• A dental hygienist performs a deep cleaning of each tooth, including scaling, flossing, and polishing. 
• Time is taken to carefully explain procedures, materials, findings, and options available to each client specific to their individual circumstances.
• Each client is given complimentary ozone therapy where ozonated water is used as a cleansing agent, removing bacteria from the gums and teeth.
• Once the hygienist’s work is done, the dentist performs a visual inspection of the gums and teeth. They look for things such as cavities, gum recession, bone levels, and disease.
• The dentist may recommend taking updated dental X-rays if it has been a while since the last radiographs were collected, or if there are any oral health concerns brought to their attention or observed.
• There may be one last face-to-face meeting with the dentist to review any findings resulting from interpreting the X-rays.
• Where issues are identified, a treatment plan is generated that may require additional visits; whereas, if no issues are identified, another appointment for 3 or 6 months down the road will usually be scheduled based on your oral health.

Importance of Maintaining Oral Health

Let’s look at several specific reasons why maintaining good oral hygiene is important.

Your Overall Health

In many ways, your mouth is the gateway to your body, and its health serves as a key indicator of your overall health. For example, a study at Harvard discovered that people with gum disease (periodontal disease) are 2 to 3 times more likely to suffer heart-related conditions such as heart disease or heart attacks.

Poor oral health has also been linked to diseases such as endocarditis ((infection of the inner lining of the heart), pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses and pregnancy and birth complications. In addition, declining oral conditions have been linked to other diseases such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders (such as HIV/AIDS), osteoporosis (weakening bones) and Alzheimer’s. Various signs and symptoms of other life threatening conditions can be detected as they are known to show up sooner in the mouth. A comprehensive dental exam every 6 months may increase your chance of preventing more serious problems down the road. (I USED MYOCLINIC.ORG FOR MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION – YOU MAY WANT TO ADD A LINK IN THIS PARAGRAPH AND DELETE THIS CAPITALIZED TEXT)

Maintaining Optimal Oral Health

Tooth decay or gum disease left untreated may exacerbate small, manageable issues, potentially leading to larger more problematic complications like tooth loss, permanent soft tissue damage and infection. Remaining proactive by taking some easy steps to maintain your oral health is the key to preventing degradation of both oral and whole body health. 

Sticking to a Plan

Our individuality and uniqueness is the spice of life. Our choices, to a large degree, have a direct effect on our health status and medical history. Regular visits to the dentist allow for a team of professionals to develop an understanding of your oral system, its sensitivities, your distinctive dental needs, and your personal life circumstances. Integrated, customized, collaborative and achievable treatment plans are able to be designed to help you achieve your overall wellness goals. 

Having the smile of your dreams

It has been said, “The future depends on what you do today” and that, “…our focus determines our reality”. More often than not, the radiant appearance of an attractive, natural looking smile is the result of daily persistent small actions, dedicated attention and determination to maintaining or improving one’s oral health. What you may not know is that a healthy smile is often an indicator of the state of one’s inner health. At Living Wellness Dental, we first seek to listen and understand your values and objectives, and then collaborate with you to generate simple solutions to achieving the smile of your dreams. 

Oral Care Between Dental Exams

According to the Canadian Dental Association, you should have a dental exam and cleaning every 6 months. There are things that you should be doing between visits to maintain your oral health.

Barring any dental emergencies, it is highly recommended that you visit the dentist on a regular basis; once every 6 months is the suggested standard. Between visits, there are some important things you can do to maintain your oral health::

• Brush teeth at least twice daily (consider using a hydroxyapatite-based toothpaste which is completely non-toxic).
• While brushing after every meal is a wise choice, a better option is to wait about an hour or two to allow your saliva to neutralize the acidic conditions in your mouth.  Brushing while acidic conditions exist is actually damaging to the protective enamel of your teeth. 
• Floss, or use specialized tools that penetrate those hard-to-reach places, at least once a day to limit the effect of harmful bacteria that love hiding in nooks and crannies.
• If you hate flossing there are a number of other oral health tools that can be as effective. Rotadent, Curaprox, toothpicks, or the Water Pik are just a few available options.  Find an oral healthcare professional that will find the right tool for you.  
• Use a suitable mouthwash – You may be surprised to learn that there are natural mouthwashes and home-based remedies that function every bit as effectively as standard commercial brands.
• Eliminate or reduce habits known to negatively impact your oral health (smoking, drinking liquids that acidify or stain such as coffee and soda pop, etc.). 
• Eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, and minimize sugary food and drinks.
• Utilize specialized dental devices obtained from your dentist and hygienist to enhance your home-based oral care routine.

Other Types of Dental Exams

Other than a dental recare exam, which is essentially the maintenance exam you should get twice per year, there are 2 other common types:

• Complete or comprehensive exam: This is typically the first exam the dentist performs on a new client. In addition to the hygiene work and exam, the dentist will also ask more in-depth questions about their oral and medical history and provide oral health care information to supplement their on-going home-based oral care and whole-body wellness routine. 
• Emergency dentistry: While not specifically an exam, emergency dentistry involves anything that needs to be dealt with urgently outside regular appointments. An emergency could be treating anything from a broken tooth to a traumatic injury to the mouth or infection.

Booking Your Next Dental Recare Exam

Recare exams are an excellent way to proactively manage your oral and whole body wellness. For more information about the value of frequent recare exams and cleanings, or if you are looking for assistance with your oral health and require an appointment, feel free to contact us at Living Wellness Dental. Our professional staff are eager to collaborate with you on your journey towards obtaining your oral health and whole-body wellness objectives.