When you go in for a routine dental exam your dentist will be looking for more than plaque buildup or the presence of a cavity – those are the givens. It is not uncommon for your dentist to spot the symptoms of a disease before your physician does. “The mouth is the window to the body” is a well known quote among dentists and it often proves to be the case.
There are other things about you that your dentist will be able to determine just by examining your mouth, things about your lifestyle for instance. Some patients think that they can fool their dentist into believing that they floss on a regular basis by just flossing the night before an appointment. The truth is that the dentist will be able to tell by the condition of the gums if it was just a one time effort or if the patient flosses regularly.
If you are in the habit of biting your fingernails it will show on your teeth. The constant contact between the upper and lower teeth will tend to flatten the surfaces and can lead to chipped enamel.
Childhood habits can leave lasting impressions. If you were allowed to suck your thumb past a particular age it may well have affected your bite. Adult orthodontic treatments are much more common that they used to be.
You can expect a thorough diagnostic exam from your appointment with Dr. Looze of Southlands Dental in Aurora. Call the office today @ 720-886-0606.
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