1. Prevent Gum Disease
Most adults know of gingivitis, an early stage of gum disease that can be treated and reversed if diagnosed and treated by your dentist. Since gum disease is a leading cause for adult tooth loss, early treatment and prevention is key. Lack of treatment can lead to more advanced gum disease, a stage known as periodontitis. Periodontal disease (periodontitis), which is an infection of the tissues that surround and support the teeth, has warning signs that include bleeding gums, swollen, red, and sensitive gums, as well as ongoing bad breath. There aren’t always noticeable symptoms, so regular dental checkups will ensure your dentist keeps an eye on your gum health.
2. Prevent and Detect Oral Cancer
Though oral cancer is not a highly publicized form of cancer, it has a high mortality rate. Because oral cancers are highly curable when detected, diagnosed, and treated early on, it is important to keep regular dental visits as part of your schedule. Most patients don’t know this, but your dental hygienist and dentist are actually screening you for oral cancer as part of your dental exam.
3. Prevent Tooth Loss
With gum disease being one of the leading causes for adult tooth loss, prevention of gum disease (and eventual tooth decay and tooth loss) is always a high priority. Regularly scheduled dental visits encourage the maintenance of good oral hygiene on your end, in addition to allowing the dental professionals to detect any warning signs to prevent eventual tooth loss.
4. Maintain Good Oral and Overall Health (for your well being)
Not only are tooth loss, bad breath, gum sensitivity, and other types of oral pain and discomfort detrimental to our happiness and oral health, but they are also detrimental to our overall health. In particular, gum disease has been linked to severe health effects, including heart disease, cancer, and stroke. By maintaining good oral health through regular dental checkups, more serious health issues can be prevented.
5. Prevent and Reverse Regular Wear and Tear
Even when we faithfully follow our dentists guidance for daily oral care and properly brush, floss, and rinse, our mouth, in particular our teeth, (just like the rest of our body) begin to feel the wear and tear over the years. Older adults, despite good oral routines, are susceptible more to gum disease, plaque buildup, and tooth decay. Tooth decay is especially prevalent if there are previous fillings that have aged and need replacement. A routine dentist visit will allow for any wear and tear to be addressed in order to prevent any future damage or pain.
6. Maintain a Bright Smile
Though following your dentist’s instructions for daily brushing and flossing will help in preventing gum disease and tooth decay, there are hard to reach areas under the gum line that may prevent you from removing plaque yourself. A routine cleaning during your dentist visit will take care of those issues. In addition to professional teeth cleaning, your dentist can also perform professional teeth whitening to rejuvenate your pearly white smile.
7. Improve Self-Esteem and Confidence
Not surprisingly, a person’s smile is often one of the first things we notice as part of a first impression. Not only does a healthy mouth (gums, teeth, and breath) make you feel better, but it also allows you to present yourself better. Self esteem and confidence have been proven to be positively affected by even subtle changes to oral appearance and health. Routine dental visits ensure that your dentist can address any oral health issues, such as plaque, gum disease, or tooth decay, to ensure you feel your best inside and out.
8. Prevent Dental Emergencies
Perhaps the most important reason to never avoid your dentist and ensure you schedule your regular dental visits, is the fact that regular dental checkups significantly reduce dental emergencies that lead to health risks and severe pain. Not only can regular dental checkups prevent a lot of pain and suffering, but they can also prevent high medical bills caused by your dental emergency. By catching the symptoms and signs of an issue early during a checkup, your dentist can save you thousands of dollars in emergency dentistry treatments.
Make sure to schedule your regular dental checkups, and don’t ignore the signs below, if you want to prevent your own dental emergency:
6 Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
(if you want to prevent dental emergencies)
- Bad breath
- Mouth sores
- Bleeding gums
- Jaw pain
- Toothaches
- Cracked or damaged teeth
