How often do you visit your Cherry Creek dentist?
It’s likely that the answer is “not often enough”! Many people aren’t aware of the importance of regular dental visits, and they end up missing some serious issues when they’re still just budding.
If you’re the type to ignore regular dental check-ups, this might be the article for you.
If you want to keep your teeth and oral health in tip-top condition, you need to be consistent with your dental care!
Keep reading to learn a few benefits of checking in with your dentist as often as you’re able.
Catch Problems Early
When you are seeing a dentist regularly, it’s much less likely that you’ll have any long-term problematic conditions.
A dentist can examine your teeth as often as you like. They’ll be able to catch any problems (or potential problems) when they’re still in their early stages. This is a great way to avoid any future issues.
A cavity may be able to be filled before it requires more drastic action. You may be able to straighten your teeth early or avoid problems with previously straightened teeth moving out of place.
These issues are much harder to fix when they’ve progressed to such a state that a dentist is no longer able to use preventative care.
Preventative Care is Key
Preventative care in dentistry is using the dental tools of the trade to prevent future problems.
This is why hygiene is so key in dental visits. Regular cleanings aren’t actively fixing a problem, they’re preventing one. When you clean your teeth regularly, you can prevent the buildup of plaque.
A dentist is able to clean your teeth more effectively than you are. They can remove tartar and even polish your teeth to a glossier shine, helping to get rid of any discoloration.
The cleaning and shining, in combination with regular flossing and brushing, are great for preventing tooth decay.
Getting regular dental cleaning is an investment in your oral health.
Financial Benefits
Many people forgo dental visits because they simply don’t have the funds to consistently go see their dentist. Unfortunately, this is one of the main problems with dental care.
When you don’t have the money to care for your teeth in the short term, your problems have the potential to snowball until the cost to fix them is greater than those visits would have been.
The average cost of a dental cleaning is fairly low in comparison to the cost of more extreme procedures, like tooth removals, root canals, and other more intensive care options.
Setting aside a bit of money for regular dental visits, when that option is available to you, can be the difference between a few small payments and one very large one.
General Health Conditions
Your oral health can be indicative of larger health problems. This isn’t only about your teeth.
Poor oral health can contribute to several conditions. You can end up with pneumonia from only the bacteria living in your mouth (that would likely be absent if you had regular dental visits).
Endocarditis, a heart condition, also stems from the presence of bacteria in the mouth. It travels through your bloodstream and enters the heart.
These same types of bacteria can cause inflammation which may lead to more extreme cardiovascular conditions and heart disease.
If you’re an expecting parent, poor oral health can potentially also lead to birth complications. Periodontitis (or one of the more severe gum conditions) has been linked to low birth weight or even premature birth.
These conditions have very little to do with your teeth, but have everything to do with your oral health. Seeing a dentist regularly may help you avoid some of these problems in the future.
Confidence
While these things are all serious, realistically many people choose to get dental care for appearances.
Getting teeth cleaned and polished regularly means that you’re less likely to have unfortunate discoloration, even if you eat or drink things that contribute to the yellowing of teeth.
Oral health has a very obvious impact on presentation.
If you see a dentist regularly, you can also receive regular whitening treatments, which can further influence self-confidence.
It’s not necessary to have pearly white and shiny teeth in order to have healthy teeth, but if white teeth are a good motivator for you, they can definitely be helped by regular visits to your Cherry Creek dentist.
How Often Should I See My Dentist?
Dental care frequency depends somewhat on what condition your teeth are in. If you have braces or some other kind of orthodontic device, you’ll be seeing your dentist much more frequently.
If you want regular whitening treatments, you’ll likely also be checking in more often than the average person.
If you’re just a normal patient who wants the routine cleaning and examination every so often, though, you should try to see a dentist at least twice per year (preferably spaced every 6 months).
This is enough time to spot early problems with oral health but not so often that it becomes troublesome to find time for appointments.
Have You Seen Your Cherry Creek Dentist Lately?
If you haven’t been back to visit your Cherry Creek dentist in a while, this might be the wakeup that you need.
Don’t let your oral health get out of control. Routine visits with your dentist can only help you in the long run. Your dentist wants to keep your teeth in pristine condition, but they can’t do that if you don’t stop in to see them!
For more information, or to make an appointment today, visit our site and contact us! We can’t wait to see you.