All of the most important things in life need a little bit of routine care. You have to change the oil in your car, swap the air filter in your house, and, of course, get biannual dental checkups for the sake of your teeth. With everything you have going on, it can sometimes be difficult to make time for these important things. But frequent preventive visits are vital, because finding oral health problems early ensures that they won’t get out of hand. If you aren’t convinced, here are three reasons why you should see your dentist at least twice a year.
Most Diseases Get Worse with Time
Gum disease is probably the most common condition a dentist will treat you for, with over 50% of U.S. adults having it to some extent. If you’ve ever noticed bleeding while flossing, that’s likely due to inflammation from an infection. Gum disease is degenerative, meaning it only gets worse over time if left untreated. In advanced cases, it can lead to tooth decay or bone loss. Regular preventive visits allow your dentist to catch gum disease, and other oral health problems, before they become too severe.
Prevention Makes Dentistry Cheaper
Insurance companies understand that it’s cheaper to avoid a problem than to fix it, which is why they often structure their coverage to incentivize preventive care visits. Many plans cover 100% of checkups, cleanings, and routine exams, but only cover 70-80% of restorative procedures like fillings. Double-check how your dental plan is structured and see if you wouldn’t save money by investing in preventive care.
You’ll Feel Better Day-to-Day
If your only concern is not being in pain all the time, you may think you only have to go to the dentist when you have a toothache. Most people, however, don’t want just that. They want to look good and feel good when they smile. The only way to do that is to keep your teeth clean and healthy consistently, and that means preventing oral health problems from getting out of hand. Good oral hygiene is a start—you should brush twice and floss once every day—but it doesn’t end there. There are places you can’t reach with your toothbrush, and those places must be professionally cleaned to prevent plaque buildup.
Your dentist can clean your entire mouth when they see you at your biannual checkup. They also polish your teeth, giving them a sheen that delays the need for a whitening treatment. These are both critical to a smile that not only feels good, but that you’ll feel good about.
The only way to get teeth you can be proud of is to have your dentist stop the development of disease before it starts. Schedule your biannual appointment now to make sure you aren’t caught off-guard by dental issues.
About our Practice
At Advanced Dental Treatment Center, we want every single part of the dental process to be as easy as possible for you. We are committed to early detection as a core tenet of our practice and provide our preventive services with courtesy and kindness. We have also taken the time to make our office as comfortable as possible, with massage chairs, neck pillows, and noise-canceling headphones available to every patient. If it’s been a while and you need a check-up, we can be reached via our website or by phone at (414) 209-7463.