Taking care of your mouth begins at home with a careful routine of oral hygiene maintenance. You should be sure to brush your teeth and floss at least twice a day and additionally after meals if required. When you brush, you should do so for around three minutes and make sure that you cover the whole mouth. Flossing ought to take care of the parts which brushes cannot reach. Brushing and flossing is important to remove the plaque that builds up after eating, as it can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

However, it is very important that you also visit your dentist every six months so that your mouth can be thoroughly examined by a trained professional. No matter how well you are taking care of your teeth at home, problems can still arise and dentists are expert at spotting these in their early stages. Dealing with oral problems in their early stages is always preferable because it lessens the likelihood of having to undergo invasive surgery.

Dentists can locate early indicators of gum disease by spotting red or bleeding patches in the mouth that you might not have noticed. With their specialist equipment they can locate any cavities which might be forming in your teeth and then advise on how best to rectify them.

Plaque on your teeth can harden into tartar if it is left alone and this can only be removed by your dentist by way of a professional clean. If you are in regular contact with your dentist they can keep tabs on the plaque in your mouth and act early if they feel that too much of it is present.

Issues such as bleeding gums which you might think will simply go away in time, can be signs that something serious is developing in your mouth. Your dentist can analyse these symptoms and offer diagnosis or recommend further examination. They are trained to notice the indicators of oral cancer, a potentially fatal disease which can be satisfactorily cured if caught early.

Don’t wait for your next six month check up if you find that your gums are bleeding. Make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible so that it can be dealt with. If you feel nervous about visiting the surgery then rest assured that modern dentists are more concerned than ever about putting patients at ease and making them feel comfortable.

Get into the habit of seeing your dentist every six months so that problems like bleeding gums can be dealt with as soon as they surface.