We have a great idea for your New Year’s resolution: get in to see the dentist twice this year. That’s it! It’s pretty simple, but those two visits can have a huge positive impact on your health–and pocketbook. Here’s why the importance of regular dental checkups goes far beyond just having clean teeth.
- Keeping Decay Issues Small–and Less Costly
- Maintaining More than Just Healthy Teeth
- Detecting More Serious Oral Health Issues
- Promoting Overall Health
Regular Dental Check-ups Keep Decay Issues Small–and Less Costly
The old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” doesn’t apply to oral health because early stages of decay are often painless. If you wait to see the dentist until your tooth hurts, odds are that what started as a small cavity may have progressed to a more serious decay issue requiring a solution beyond a simple filling, such as a dental crown or even a root canal. These procedures are more invasive and more costly than a filling.
Avoid big dental bills and discomfort by staying on top of routine dental check-ups, where your dental team can work to keep small problems small.
For further reading: What Should I Do if I Haven’t Been to the Dentist in Years?
Regular Cleanings Keep More than Just Your Teeth Healthy
Seeing your dentist regularly will do more than just keep your teeth clean. It’ll also help keep your gums healthy. A professional cleaning removes plaque from areas of the mouth where home care can’t reach, such as under the gum line. Removing this hard-to-reach plaque is essential for maintaining healthy gums. Left untreated, plaque by the gum line can cause gingivitis, which leads to gum disease that can result in tooth loss.
Early Detection of More Serious Oral Health Issues
At your cleaning, your dentist will also perform an oral exam, checking for more serious oral health issues such as mouth and throat cancer and tumors. Early detection is of the utmost importance in successfully treating these diseases. Having the exam every six months ensures that these conditions won’t go unnoticed for too long.
Connection Between Oral Health and Overall Health
Research indicates that good oral health is associated with good overall health. Conversely, poor oral health is associated with conditions such as diabetes, respiratory and lung issues, stroke, kidney disease, high blood pressure, and dementia.
Keeping your mouth clean through regular cleanings is a way you can be proactive in keeping yourself healthy. In between cleanings, of course, making sure to brush twice a day and floss everyday, eating healthfully, and drinking plenty of water is also important for maintaining your oral health until your next appointment.
Family Dentistry in Madison, Wisconsin
Looking for a Badger bright smile? Schedule your cleaning today and let us help you start the New Year with a new smile. Affiliated Dentists provides restorative and family dentistry in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Importance of Regular Dental Checkups brought to you by Dr. Mark Gustavson
