You brush twice a day, use a dental rinse, and floss regularly. So do you have to keep up with your dentist appointments?
The short answer is yes. It comes down to prevention.
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), the mouth is considered the window into the entire body’s health. There are links to gum disease and other diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more.
Here are some benefits of having a frequent dental check-up schedule.
1. Preventative Care
The best way to prevent health issues like gum disease, cavities, or oral cancer is to schedule regular dental check-ups.
What can you expect from a check-up with an experienced dentist?
Examine Your Gums
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 in 10 adults over 30 have periodontitis. Periodontitis is the more advanced form of periodontal disease.
Your gums provide clues. Your dentist can check for any abnormalities that may point to gum disease (periodontitis), which can spread to other body organs. For this reason, dentists recommend an annual comprehensive periodontal evaluation (CPE) for optimum health.
Check for Cavities
Did you know that you can have cavities and not even realize it? It’s true. Not all cavities cause pain. During a regular check-up, your dentist can check for potential problems before they become more serious.
After the cavities attack the enamel on your teeth, they start to attack the soft tissue underneath. Severe cavity progression can cause an infection that can enter your bloodstream. Therefore, early prevention is vital.
Check for Plaque and Tartar
Did you know that once plaque forms tartar, it cannot be removed with brushing and flossing alone? The build-up of tartar can lead to gum disease.
Dentists are the only ones equipped with the tools to successfully remove tartar on your teeth without damaging your teeth’ enamel.
Examine Your Risk of Oral Cancer
During a routine check-up, your dental hygenist will examine the neck, throat, tongue, and mouth areas for any potential abnormalities to see if you’re a risk for oral cancer.
According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, in America, one person dies per hour from oral cancer. Early detection is crucial for the 53,000 people diagnosed each year; only half will be alive within five years. Early detection is vital for prevention.
2. Increased Self-Esteem
Nothing can beat the clean feeling on your teeth after a dental cleaning. Clean teeth can increase our tendency to smile. Smiling releases endorphins in the brain turn on areas of the brain that make you happier.
People love a person who smiles. It promotes friendliness and a pleasing attitude. So your dental appointment can have more than just physical benefits, it can have psychological and social benefits.
3. Build Rapport With Your Dentist
Dentists are an essential partner in your overall healthcare. Establishing regularly scheduled provides an opportunity to build excellent communication, which can greater enhance your oral care overall. Since oral care is linked to overall health, this can be an added bonus of regular visits.
4. Sets a Good Example
Taking care of ourselves has more benefits than just our own health, it can also influence our children’s oral health. Being a role model for your kids when it comes to oral care can have lasting benefits throughout their whole life. Show them the way, and they will follow your example.
5. Helps With Possible Sleep Problems
Many people suffer from sleep apnea and teeth grinding. A dentist can refer you to a sleep specialist to determine if this is a problem. If it is determined that one of these problems occurs during sleep, your dentist can recommend mouth guards to help the issues, giving you better sleep.
6. Notice Gaps in Oral Care
Visiting with your dentist regularly can help you notice gaps in your oral care. Your dentist can offer suggestions to help you with this at home to help eliminate any associated habits associated with the gap in your oral care.
7. Maintaining Overall Wellbeing
Oral care is linked to overall health. Diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and others are linked to poor oral hygiene. An experienced dentist can help address any issues and provide preventive care treatment options to ensure optimum health and overall wellbeing.
8. Avoiding Loss of Teeth
Advanced stages of periodontitis can eventually harm the bone that supports the teeth as plaque and tarter can decay further into a tooth to the root. Regularly scheduled check-ups with your dentist and good oral hygiene can play an active role in keeping your teeth healthy.
9. Financial Benefits
According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, the average cost for a single tooth implant can be $3,000 to $4,500 with full-mouth implants costing over $20,000. By regularly meeting with your dentist, you can instill good oral habits that promote beneficial oral hygiene.
Think of the cost savings over the life of a patient who regularly checks in with their dentist. Tartar and plaque control can be contained or prevented.
Cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer can be diagnosed or prevented altogether. All of these expenses add up when we look at the cost of not seeing a dentist regularly