Eight reasons why dental visits are important
Maintaining a
good oral hygiene goes beyond flossing and brushing. Professional dental
cleaning and routine dental check-ups play a vital role in your oral health and
overall well-being.
Dentistry
used to be about fixing problems and not preventing them. Things have changed,
the world is now based on ‘work smart, not hard’ motto. Modern dentists focus
more on preventive dental care which includes cleaning and regular
examinations.
Humans have
this amazing quality of avoiding problems unless they splatter all over their
faces. That is often true with dental visits. Whether it is because of a hectic
lifestyle or negligence, people often end to avoid dental visits.
What they
don’t realise is that once dental issues go out of hand, it not only takes
time, frequent visits but also more money to cure it. You might be throwing a
beaming smile everywhere you go for now, but keep ignoring your dental check-up
and it might be a hand holding your cheek and emergency call to your dentist in
no time. Prevention is always better than cure.
As per the
Australian Dental council, you need to visit your dentist every six months or
as otherwise recommended by your dentist. Smokers, diabetics’, pregnant women
and people with low level immunity to bacterial infection should visit their
dentist often as they run the high risk of getting dental diseases.
Eight reasons why dental
visits are important
1. Early
detection of any dental problems-Many dental problems including cavities, gum
diseases and oral cancer do not cause pain at first and are visible only in
advanced ages. However, if you visit your dentist regular, these issues can be
detected at their early stage, and hence treated early as well.
What does your dentist do in a routine check-up?
·
Examine your gums- Gums can
give hints about your overall health. Most adults in Australia suffer from one
or another gum issue. In a dental check-up your dentist will look into
interdental spaces for any gum disease (periodontitis), certain gum diseases
can spread to other organs of the body. ADC recommends an annual CPE
(Comprehensive periodontal evaluation) for all adults.
·
Look for cavities- you
might be harbouring cavity without knowledge. Detecting a cavity early ensures
easier and faster treatment. It can save a tooth that would have otherwise been
lost to decay if not treated timely or properly
·
Check for tartar and
plaque accumulation-plaque is removable by brushing and flushing but when it is
left to build up, it forms tartar and that is impossible to remove so easily.
Tartar can lead to difficult dental situations. Your dentist will look for it
and treat it accordingly if found.
·
·
Examine your face, neck,
tongue and throat- examining these organs helps your dentist to spot any signs
of a potential cancer. Oral cancer is hard to asses in its early stages, so
going to a dentist for regular examination certainly helps.
2. Better your smile, increase self-esteem: Your smile is a big part of your
social life, personal and romantic even. A good smile, one without nasty
discoloured teeth sticking out or giving off bad smell is vital to making a
good impression on other people. Regular dental visits help you keep your smile
ever beaming, dental cleanings are very helpful in maintaining a good smile.
3. Know your
dentist better: Who’d want to know their dentist better? Most people are
probably indifferent to the idea of knowing their dentist better. But, you and
your dentist need to work on your oral healthcare for a long-term, for which a
good communication is important.
4. Teach your
kids about good oral healthcare: The best way to teach kids is by setting an
example. SO, if you want good dental care for your children and want them to
not skip dental check-ups, show them how it’s done. Maintain a good dental care
routine yourself and children are likely to follow.
5. Your dentist
can help you sleep better: Yes, sounds like over-reaching but it is not. Your
dentist can provide you with a customized mouth guard to eliminate snoring and
open the airway if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea. In fact, your dentist
can recommend you a good sleep specialist to find out whether or not you have
the disorder in the first place.
6. No unpleasant
surprises: Regular dental visits ensure that you don’t get an out of the blue
dental problems. If there’s anything coming your way, your dentist would have
already told and prepared you for the situation.
7. Prevent bad
breath: bad breath really kills your social life and your self-esteem.
Halitosis or bad breath can be caused by gum diseases, lack or oral hygiene or
food debris stuck in areas in your mouth that are hard to reach and plaque on
your tongue among other things. Regular dental cleaning and visits can help you
with the problem.
8. Avoid losing
teeth: loss of teeth comes way down the line. You get gum problems, tooth
cavity then tooth decay which can lead to tooth loss. Your food intake and oral
hygiene play a major role in keeping your teeth set intact. However, visiting a
dentist regularly plays just as important role. Most teeth problems can be
battled at an early stage and won’t lead to losing of your teeth if you visit
your dentist regularly.
Apart from above mentioned benefits,
routine dental visits also help you save money. Yes! Replacing a tooth or
surgeries can cost a lot of money, a lot of pain and a lot of time. But, you
don’t have to get there if you visit your dentist routinely. A classic tale of
‘a stitch in time saves nine.
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