While you should visit your dentist at least twice a year, most people find excuses to put off the appointments due to potential discomfort they might experience or when life becomes busy. However, missing the visits can result in worse health issues that can be expensive and time-consuming in the long run. This article discusses the advantages of regularly seeing your healthcare provider as a motivation to spur a more effective, proactive, and practical approach to your dental health.
It Can Save Your Tooth
You have just a single set of adult teeth, so losing any of them could be detrimental to the overall well-being of your dental health. One consequence of having a missing tooth is permanent bone loss caused by a jawbone not receiving the stimulation it requires to stay healthy. Bone tissues and muscles break down once they stop receiving stimulation. The bone loss can result in the following issues:
- Challenges moving your jaw.
- Wrinkles and fine lines form around your mouth due to facial structure alterations.
- Jaw pain and discomfort.
- Teeth misalignment.
- Increased risk of tooth decay.
- Challenges chewing.
- Increased dental costs.
During routine dental check-ups, your dentist can detect an issue early and recommend restorative treatment options like implants, keeping your teeth intact and preserving your beautiful, natural smile.
It Will Save You Money in the Future
Most people ignore seeing their dentists to lower their dental expenses, mainly if they are diligent about flossing and brushing. However, skipping your checkups can be costly in the long run.
For instance, flossing or brushing cannot clean some hard-to-reach regions in the mouth. That is where professional dental cleaning becomes an essential defense against decay and cavities. If you have a cavity, you can treat it with a tooth filling. Nonetheless, if it goes undetected and unaddressed for long, it will worsen and compromise your tooth’s structure and strength. Ultimately, you will require a more expensive and complicated treatment like extraction, a root canal, or a dental crown.
The best thing about preventive dentistry is that most dental insurance providers cover it. If they do not, you cannot compare the cost of dental cleaning and checkups to the price of required dental restorations.
Moreover, the visits can save you on potential future healthcare costs. Your oral health is linked to systemic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Through dental visits, your dentist and doctors can help you reduce the likelihood of developing these expensive ailments, resulting in overall healthcare cost savings.
Preserving Your Natural Smile
Every person desires and appreciates having a lovely smile, and visiting your dental professional regularly can help achieve this. Healthy teeth and smiles result from regular cleanings and obeying the dentist’s recommendations for optimal dental care. The dental professional’s input is essential in guiding you to preserve your natural smile and enhance your self-confidence appropriately.
During your dental visit, your dentist will cautiously inspect your mouth, teeth, and gums for signs of dental issues, like gum disease and cavities. It could involve using X-rays to examine hard-to-see and reach areas of the mouth. Next, the hygienist will remove tartar and plaque buildup on your teeth before polishing them for a healthy and bright smile. Finally, based on the dental examination results, the doctor will offer individualized guidance on maintaining optimal dental health, including:
- Proper flossing and brushing techniques.
- Recommendations for restorative treatment options.
- Advice on how to address specific dental issues or concerns.
It Prevents Dental Emergencies
Regarding your oral health, prevention is the most effective medicine. The last thing you want to experience is the inconvenience and pain linked to a dental emergency; if left untreated, it can result in more significant challenges.
One proactive way to prevent emergencies is to visit your dentist regularly. By visiting your dental healthcare provider:
- You can catch potential issues early before they become more severe, like infections, cavities, and decay.
- You can easily maintain overall good dental health after your dentist removes tartar and plaque buildup.
- Your dentist can offer practical advice on proper oral hygiene practices designed for your needs.
It Offers Peace of Mind
Pain, a bitter taste in your mouth, and bad breath can cause anxiety and worry, mainly when attending an event or socializing. It can also cause inadequate sleep. Regular visits can help your dentist identify and treat possible issues immediately, putting you at ease. Proper nutrient absorption and sleep are possible with healthy teeth, improving dental health and immunity.
It Reduces the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
Periodontal disease is characterized by tooth damage, gum infections, and inflammation. The bacteria in your mouth can enter your bloodstream, increasing C-reactive protein.
The C-reactive protein is a marker for inflammation in blood vessels. Instead of the protein causing issues, the body’s immune response can lead to vascular damage, via inflammation, to your heart.
By failing to maintain healthy oral habits, you increase your risk of bacterial infections and inflammation that could impact your heart valves and increase the possibility of developing stroke and heart disease. That is not to say that if you practice good oral health, you cannot suffer from cardiovascular disease, but it is a viable reason to visit your dentist regularly.
Helps Preserve Your Dental Restorations
While durable materials may make dental restorations, they are prone to damage. Over time, they can chip, wear down, or detach from your tooth due to various factors, including grinding, damage to your natural tooth structure, decay, and chewing forces. Regular dental check-ups are crucial to ensuring the restoration’s longevity.
During your checkup, your physician will offer tools and guidance to assist you in maintaining restorations at home, including diet, lifestyle changes, product recommendations, and cleaning tips. With guidance, you can actively improve the longevity and health of your oral health restorations.
Ensures Healthy Development of Your Child’s Teeth and Mouth
You can improve and maintain the health of your baby’s teeth by taking them to a dentist every twelve months. Baby teeth are the foundation for adult teeth. If you neglect the infant’s teeth, the permanent teeth will not have adequate room to erupt and fit well, which could result in misalignment. Early detection makes it easier for your pediatrician to fix crooked teeth and prevent malocclusion.
Baby teeth inadequately cared for may fall out too early, pushing the remaining teeth forward. Moreover, maintaining healthy teeth during the formative years helps avoid the need for future orthodontic work.
It Instills Proper Oral Health Practices in Children During Formative Years
It is never too soon to start educating children about the value of good oral hygiene. Beginning early instills in your minor the importance of dental hygiene. Upon turning two years old, taking the child to a local pediatric dentist is advisable. Your minor’s attitude towards dental checkups and oral care will improve if you have them visit the dentist regularly.
It is crucial to help your minor establish a healthy and positive relationship with the dental professional early because their childhood experiences could affect how an individual feels about making a dental visit for the rest of their lives. Although the minor might not initially find the procedure appealing, they should become used to it and be more comfortable as they make future appointments.
Other things your dentist can teach the minor include the following:
- How to effectively brush and floss their teeth.
- The importance of limiting their sugary foods and beverage intake.
The dental professional will also assist you in choosing a toothbrush suitable for the baby’s soft gums. The toothbrush’s head should be small to accommodate the baby’s tiny mouth.
Early Oral Cancer Detection
In healthcare, prevention is widely considered the best remedy and approach to dealing with mouth cancer. While mostly overlooked, routine oral checkups catch the disease early on, leading to prompt treatment and prevention of mouth cancer.
An Overview of Mouth Cancer and How Early Detection of Mouth Cancer Helps Save Lives
Mouth cancer is considered cancerous tissue that might be present in your oral cavity, which includes the tongue, cheeks, lips, palate, throat, and sinuses.
The solution to increasing your survival rate depends on how early you detect the cancer. Like many types of cancer, mouth cancer can be easily treatable when caught in its initial phases. Routine oral checkups offer the best chance for your dental professional to carry out a comprehensive dental examination, consisting of screening for symptoms of mouth cancer. Dentists undergo training to spot suspicious abnormalities or lesions that could indicate precancerous or cancerous conditions. Early detection of mouth cancer also increases the odds of successful dental treatment and recovery.
Your Dentist Will Conduct Thorough Dental Examinations
The dental professional will conduct comprehensive oral cavity examinations during regular oral checkups beyond inspecting your gums and teeth. They will palpate your mouth, palate, cheeks, throat, and tongue for lumps, sores, or discolorations. They could also examine the lymph glands in the neck to look for tenderness or swelling, which could indicate underlying problems.
Risk Evaluation and Prevention
Routine oral checkups also allow the dentist to evaluate mouth cancer risk factors. Your dentist will ask you questions about your lifestyle habits, medical history, and any signs you might have.
Factors like drinking alcohol and smoking, inherited history of cancer, bad oral hygiene, poor dental hygiene, and HPV (human papillomavirus) exposure could increase your vulnerability to oral cancer. Based on the evaluation outcome, the dentist can offer professional advice on necessary lifestyle changes and preventative measures to lower the risk of mouth cancer.
Patient Awareness and Education
Oral checkups act as the basis for patient awareness and education. The dentist can educate you on spotting oral cancer symptoms and signs, enabling you to correctly identify any potential danger signs between dental appointments.
They can also teach you self-evaluation techniques, like conducting a comprehensive mouth cancer screening. By promoting awareness and proactive dental hygiene practices, the dentist can help you take charge of your well-being.
Treating Issues With Bad Breath
The chronic bad breath goes beyond a lousy morning breath or eating a lot of onions. The dental condition is halitosis and could occur if you consistently fail to practice oral health hygiene. It is not an issue to overlook or attempt to manage on your own.
By making regular dental visits, your local dentist can identify the root cause of the problem and recommend the appropriate treatment. Sometimes, it could be a medical condition that requires immediate attention.
Preventing Future Health Issues
Routine dental check-ups enable the dental professional to identify issues that could evolve into more significant problems later. For example, if a minor cavity is spotted or the gums are not doing well, the dentist could immediately provide the necessary treatment.
Most individuals experience gum disease or plaque buildup that could go unnoticed if they do not engage in regular dental appointments. When you visit your dental professional regularly, they can conduct routine tests and catch issues early on.
Helping With Related Health Issues
Your oral health can affect your overall health. If left uncontrolled, bacteria in your mouth can multiply, enter your bloodstream, and affect other body parts. Specific medical issues are closely connected to your oral well-being include heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Even if the dental professional cannot provide you with medication to entirely halt the medical challenge, they can recommend your case to a qualified specialist.
Find a Preventive Beverly Hills Dentist Near Me
You should not make dental checkups only when experiencing an issue requiring immediate attention. Preventative measures are better than waiting until things get out of hand. They lower the risk of developing more severe dental issues, promote proper oral hygiene habits, reduce dental challenges associated with chronic ailments, and are cost-effective.
The experienced dental team at Dr Joseph Goodman’s practice is dedicated to partnering with you to keep your teeth and smile healthy. From our end, we encourage you to visit our Beverly Hills office twice a year. During the appointments, we can comprehensively examine your mouth, tongue, teeth, jaws, and bone structures, clean them, develop the most effective treatment plan, and offer at-home dental care advice. We can offer top-notch, affordable, and accessible dental care to meet you and your family’s needs, including oral cancer screening, dental examinations, oral health education, and dental cleaning. Please contact us at 310-860-9311 to schedule your appointment and learn how you can benefit from routine dental visits.
