My Teeth Look Good and Feel Even Better. Do I Really Need to Go to the Dentist?
Even though it comes but twice a year for most people, dental appointments can be a real headache, requiring you to either take time off work or perhaps even worse, give up precious weekend time. Having a dentist check your teeth never fits comfortably into anyone’s schedule.
Many people leave after a quick consultation feeling as though they didn’t really need to be there at all. Your dentist said, “Looks great. See you in six months,” which was nice to hear, but you would have just as soon stayed at home, confident anyway in the fact that your teeth were doing just fine.
Do you really need to go to the dentist twice a year if you’re healthy? In this article, we provide a balanced look at the situation.
Regular Appointments Help Provide Early Detection
One of the biggest reasons to go to the dentist every six months, even when you feel good, is because it’s an excellent opportunity for early detection. Once your tooth starts to hurt, you’re dealing with an issue that is both more uncomfortable and more expensive than it potentially needed to be.
On the other hand, if your dentist looks in your mouth and says, “Oh, we’re looking mostly good, but there’s a little bit of enamel wear here and there,” you might wind up with a quick solution today that could have been a very extensive solution eight months down the line.
Your Dentist Is Looking for More Things Than You Might Realize
You’re probably going in thinking, “Look at these teeth. There’s no way there are any cavities.” Most of the time, you’re probably right, but those aren’t the only factors that your dentist is on the lookout for. They are also checking for alignment issues and early indications of gum disease. In both cases, early detection is again very important. It will connect you with quicker solutions and will give you the opportunity to make lifestyle modifications that might be easy and non-intrusive adjustments compared to the longer-term alternative.
For example, switching to an electric toothbrush can significantly cut back on the bacteria in your mouth, preventing infections, gum disease, and other issues that only compound with time. You get this advice from regular consultations with your dentist.
Alignment Issues Are Even Harder to Detect at Home
This is particularly true for children, who might experience significant lifelong dental issues if they don’t receive corrective orthodontics at the right time. Dentists often uncover these problems not just through visual inspection, but also through X-rays. This makes it so that many of their insights are only possible in the office setting.
You can’t just look at your child’s teeth and think, “Yeah, maybe a trip to the orthodontist is in the future.” For impactful planning, you need regular professional insight.
Professional Cleaning Is Simply Different
Well, it is. You probably don’t like all the scraping and the sucking and the squirting that goes on in a dentist’s office, but it is an important part of why you’re there. No matter how good your brushing habits are, they will not be as effective as a professional cleaning. Germs and bacteria get into places that simple regular brushing won’t always address. Sitting down in that dentist chair a couple of times a year can help ensure your long-term oral health.
You Might Be Paying For it Either Way
If dental insurance is part of your health plan, you’re paying for these appointments whether you use them or not. Why let your insurance company get the better of you? Skipping appointments is easy in the short term.
Getting them done twice a year is, without question, the lowest-friction long-term solution. A little discomfort today to save you an enormous amount of discomfort down the line. Remember also that your oral hygiene can have a wider impact on other aspects of your overall health.
Your gum health, in particular, can have a big impact on your cardiovascular system. Limiting gum bacteria and inflammation can help your heart health in significant ways.
It’s Never as Bad as It Sounds. Book Your Appointment Today
Well, it’s true. Getting in for your biannual appointments might not be convenient, but it’s never as bad as it sounds. What’s more, it can provide genuine, long-lasting benefits that are impossible to replicate at home. Book your appointment with Integrated Dental today.