Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Why should you visit your dentist regularly? Although it may be the smallest part of our bone, our teeth are among the most critical aspects of our body’s system. If you don’t believe me, let’s consider human life expectancy before the invention of the toothbrushes. Because people didn’t have access to modern dentistry and did not brush their teeth, they often lost many teeth in their 40s or 50s and were unable to eat a balanced meal, such as high fiber foods. As a result, life expectancy was much shorter than in today’s modern world.
It’s also true that today we have more advanced technology, involving toothbrushes, flossing, toothpaste, and mouthwash that significantly improve our oral health. Still, given that your oral health is critical to your overall health, don’t you think you should check in with your dentist more frequently to prevent long-term damage? This is especially true if you are a smoker or have existing medical conditions.
Dental health is an extremely significant part of one’s overall well-being.
Unfortunately, it is also the one that is easily forgotten. To better understand the significance of maintaining proper dental health, it’s essential to understand why you should visit the dentist in the first place.
In fact, dentists play a vital role to play in the well-being of our lives. Like all other parts of the body, our teeth are of significant importance, and they require care, cleaning, and maintenance for a lifetime. Unfortunately, skipping regular visits can cause severe and consequential complications.
Even though our teeth are a crucial part of our body’s system, they cannot repair themselves, and yet, we neglect our regular dental visits. As a matter of fact, maintaining oral health is our a lifetime commitment. Visiting your dentist regularly will save you excruciating pain and high dental costs, which can occur if the conditions get complicated.
We can set our smartphone to reminding us to visit your dentist regularly.
The American Dental Association recommends seeing your dentists for regular checkups. However, I admit that not many of us are thrilled to visit a dentist. I am not a dentist, so I am in no position to command or write as a licensed dental practitioner. Therefore, your dentist overrules this article. This article is a perspective from a patient’s point of view, just like you. Skipping regular checkups seems to be no big deal, especially during this pandemic, but this is even more reason to visit your dentist.
As a dental patient, below are the ten reasons why I think you should visit your dentist regularly.
1. Visit Your Dentist Regularly – Cavities and Decay are not Readily Visible to Us
You might think that the early signs and symptoms of cavities are sensitivity and random pain. These are not early but middle to late signs of detecting a cavity. Although it may not be too late, these could have been detected in your regular visits. The early signs are visible to professionals but not readily visible to us. Cavities and tooth decay are not only costly; they are also painful and irreversible.
2. See Your Dental Hygienist Twice a Year
Your teeth are an asset for your entire life. Just because they look and feel healthy may not mean that they are. Visiting your dental hygienist at least twice a year is essential. If you face any issues like dry mouth, sensitivity, or bleeding gums, especially when brushing, you don’t want to miss your next scheduled visit.
Your dental hygienist has education and training to detect problems that you simply cannot. Don’t forget your regular dental appointments to help maintain oral health and hygiene.
3. Even Though You are Young and Healthy, Early Preventive Measure is Necessary
No one can deny that early preventive measures can help you get better faster and prevent the issue from becoming extremely complicated.
We might think that brushing, flossing, and mouthwash are enough. These are critically important in preventing disease and discomfort in our mouths. This cannot be overemphasized, as most of the early signs of dental problems are silent and don’t cause any pain.
Bacteria in the mouth live in a perfectly moist and warm environment. They can accumulate over time, feed on the food we eat, and form plaque that erodes the tooth surfaces. Cavities are also silent and only hurt when they are close to the nerve endings. If you maintain regular visits, your dentist might see a problem and treat it in time.
4. Visit Your Dentist Regularly if People Close to You Tell You That You Have a Bad Breath
Most of us, at some point in our lives, have experienced the embarrassment of having bad breath. Therefore, we always put extra effort into getting rid of it by thoroughly brushing our teeth and using mouthwash. If it persists, you may want to inform your dentist on your next visit. While it could be caused by bacteria, you may never know if there is a persistent problem until a licensed practitioner examines you.
As a growing kid, I remember one of my friends had bad breath, and other kids bullied him merely because of this. Not only is this embarrassing but humiliating. Chewing gum or mouthwash may help temporarily, but you will never know the root cause without a regular visit to the dental office.
5. Regular Checkups of Your Fillings, Prosthetic Crowns, or Implants
The placement of a crown is a complicated procedure. It requires timely post-op follow up to assure that dentin beneath the crown is not developing cavities or decays. Typically, well-treated dental prosthetics, for example, crowns and bridges, should last for many years.
Implants are very complex dental procedures and need to be checkup regularly. Usually, a dental implant is composed of a fixture, abutment placed by a titanium screw, and implant crown. Failure of dental implants is not uncommon. Therefore, visit your dentist regularly to prevent the loss of dental implant fixtures.
6. Visit Your Dentist Regularly to Detect Early Sign of Oral Cancer or Other Gum Diseases
Dentists in the United States receive special training to detect developing oral health diseases, including oral cancer. Detecting these health hazards in the early stages will save you money, time, and, most importantly, your health.
Just like most other medical conditions, oral disease can be treated if detected early. Therefore, visit your dentist regularly, especially if your health, in general, is at risk. Similarly, regular dental checkups may save your life. If we knew how many deadly diseases could be discovered right on time just with regular dental checkups, we wouldn’t miss one.
7. To Detect Bad Habits
Unmistakably, most, if not all, smoking people know that smoking is a bad habit. But, what about other bad habits that affect our oral health? That’s something you will find out during your regular visit to your dentist. However, it could be bad eating or drinking habits, improper biting habits, sleeping habits, or improper hygiene. I am sure the list goes on. Furthermore, long term habits have long term effects on your teeth, gums, tongue, and in general, your oral health.
8. Visit Your Dentist Regularly if You Have Pre-existing Medical Conditions
Some medical conditions may or may not reflect your oral health, and your dentist is trained to examine them. Surprisingly, there can be many medical conditions, including oral cancer. A dentist with special training and skills may be able to indicate the earliest signs thorough oral examinations or refer to a specialist. Therefore, if you suffer any medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or many others, visit your dentist regularly. Don’t take your chances since your teeth are much more valuable than you think!
9. Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a heavenly blessing to humanity. By the same token, we know how it affects your body’s hormones. Many women might delay dental visits during pregnancy. However, it can be especially crucial to visit your dentist regularly, even during pregnancy. Again, don’t forget to notify the dentist regarding your pregnancy and due date. Obviously, you would periodically check with your OB-GYN, but you may want to add a dentist to your visit list. Although some dental procedures, for example, cosmetic veneers, can wait until the addition of your new family member, some may not. Visit your dentist regularly, even during your pregnancy.
10. If You Like Eating Fast Foods or Junk Foods
It is important to eat the right foods for your dental health. Not only junk and fast food are bad for your overall health but can be harmful to your teeth. We all love junk foods like potato chips, ice cream, cookies, sweet drinks, and cakes. I am sure even your dentist loves them. Just don’t ignore visiting your dentist regularly.
This article is not about eating fast foods or junk foods. It’s encouraging to visit your dentist regularly!
Make your oral health your priority. It will benefit you in the long run. Your health is an important asset, and small-time investment will make it better and help you live happier and longer. The longer you prolong it, the worse it might get, and you might lose this valuable asset. The cost of getting a dental implant is way too high, so take care of your precious teeth and keep smiling.
It is undeniable that regular dental visits are essential for all of us, no matter our age. Problems can arise at any age and for any reason. It is crucial to get the issues resolved before they get bigger and out of hand. Healthy oral health makes a healthy human being.