Proper dental care can help you avoid cavities and other painful tooth conditions. A family dentist can provide all the dental services that you and your family members need. Here are some of the things your dentist can do to keep your mouth and your family's mouths healthy:

1. Tooth Scaling And Root Planing

Throughout the day, a sticky substance called plaque accumulates on your teeth. If this plaque isn't cleaned away in a timely matter, it can calcify, becoming a hard substance called tartar. Tartar can cause tooth decay if left on teeth. During your biannual dental appointment, your dentist will clean tartar off your teeth using a hard metal pick. This process is called tooth scaling. People with gum disease will require a more intensive version of tooth scaling known as root planing, during which your dentist will also clean below the gum line.

2. Tooth Polishing

Once all the tartar has been scaled away from your teeth, your dentist will polish your teeth using an abrasive paste and an electronic device. The process of polishing your teeth is much like toothbrushing. However, dentists can use their tools to give you a much cleaner and shinier finish than you can achieve at home with your toothbrush.

3. Diagnostic Services

Dentists also provide diagnostic services to patients. If you go to the dentist complaining of a sore tooth, your dentist will examine your mouth to find out what the problem is. Dentists also utilize x-ray technology to examine the inside of patients' teeth. This allows dentists to find cavities that are so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Family dentists can prevent many dental problems from worsening by taking routine x-rays of their patients' mouths once a year.

4. Cavity Repair

If your dentist finds cavities in your mouth, they will need to perform restorative work to remove them. When left untreated, cavities can grow larger, eventually affecting the nerve-rich pulp of your teeth. Dentists can repair cavities by drilling away the damaged portion of your tooth and filling the space with an inert material. Larger cavities may require root canal therapy instead.

5. Tooth Restoration 

Dentists can also restore teeth that are lost through decay or mechanical force. Dental implants can be used to replace the roots of lost teeth with a metal post. This metal post provides a stable base for a prosthetic tooth, which can be attached using an abutment.

For these reasons and more, it's imperative that you see a dentist regularly. Visit a site like https://valleyoakdentalgroup.com/ for more information.