Did you know that according to a consumer oral health survey from 2019, around 20% of the UK population don’t visit regularly, with a further 6% admitting that they never attend routine dental check-ups at all!
So, if one in five are currently avoiding it, why are routine dental check-ups so important? Here are 7 reasons – or, perhaps more pertinently, 32 reasons…
Correcting Existing Dental Problems
If you have been putting off visiting the dentist for some time, or you have felt the twangs of toothache, chances are you have existing dental concerns that need to be examined and treated.
This is what your can do – putting a stop to the often-painful symptoms that point to an underlying problem, treating it, and restoring your smile.
The other alternative is to continue to ignore your symptoms, which is likely to lead to upsetting consequences, such as:
- Diet limitations
- Difficulty communicating
- Continual pain
- Infection
- Failing, wobbly teeth
- Tooth loss
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For That Million Dollar Smile
During your check-up, you should have your teeth cleaned because it is super important to remove plaque and tartar build-up which cannot always be cleared by regular brushing or flossing. Tartar buildup can only be removed by the dentist with a method called scaling. Although you may think your teeth are fine as you keep up with your dental hygiene at home, this can easily be missed by yourself.
Instead, as Highland View, a top dentist in Hornchuch, recommends, you should visit a dentist at least once or twice a year. However, the duration and consistency of your visit would still depend on the condition of your dental health.
Tartar can erode teeth and create holes in them, this is how cavities are formed. They tend not to give off any warning signs and will usually begin to hurt once they have formed which is too late as the damage has been done already! Once you have a cavity, you will need it to be filled by your dentist. Getting rid of the tartar can prevent teeth from infection. Having plaque and tartar removed is also key to preventing bad breath and stains on your teeth. After your cleaning, your teeth will look and feel a lot brighter and healthier.
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Protection From Gum Disease
The main cause of tooth loss is gum disease and in order to avoid this from happening you should be regular with your dental check-ups so that your dentist can spot early signs if any. You can easily prevent tooth loss by having the gum disease treated in time.
Gum disease can sometimes be more severe than it sounds and has even been linked to heart attacks. We rarely show signs of gum disease until they start to bleed. But gum disease can be caused by inadequate oral hygiene, genetic predisposition, smoking, and systemic illness such as diabetes, and, as such, needs attention.
Gum disease causes the gum tissue to deteriorate as well as the bones that are holding the teeth in place. It is at this point that teeth can loosen or fall out. Depending on the severity, gum disease treatment can include surgery, deep cleaning, and medication.
Spotting The Signs Of Oral Cancer
During your check-up, your teeth and jaw bone will be x-rayed. This will show your dentist what is happening below the surface. The damage to the jawbone can be spotted, which includes swelling, tumors, or bone decay. These are impossible to spot or diagnose without an x-ray. With issues like these, they must be spotted and treated in time.
Dentists will particularly be looking for signs of oral cancer, an extremely serious form of cancer when not treated in time. If it is not spotted in time, it can progress quickly and become life-threatening. An early diagnosis however is very easily treatable. Dentists are highly trained to spot signs of oral cancer and your regular check-ups will ensure that any symptom or sign is dealt with straight away. Although you may think that you would notice something so drastic, signs of early-onset of oral cancer are difficult to spot unless you are a dental professional.
Checking for Other Issues
As well as checking you for your signs of oral cancer, your dentist will check your neck, jaw, and lymph nodes for signs of swelling, lumps, or other abnormalities. If your dentist spots an abnormality they can point you in the direction of the correct medical professional. Swollen lymph nodes can seem fairly common and even harmless, however, they could also be a sign of a specific kind of cancer or disease. These require immediate medical attention.
Checking for these abnormalities takes around a minute for your dentist, but can save you years of pain and disease if something is spotted and treated in time. Missing your regular dental check-ups means missing out on this crucial, potentially life-saving part of your health care.
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Replacement Of Old Fillings
During your check-up, your dentist will notice if any old fillings have come loose or chipped. The metal used in fillings corrodes over time which causes it to expand and contract, this can then lead to fractures in the tooth. If this happens it can allow the growth of bacteria underneath which can cause major problems and even lead you to lose your teeth. Having your teeth checked regularly will ensure that these minor issues are fixed before they turn into a bigger problem.
Advice On Bad Habits
Did you know that many bad habits can harm your oral health? Biting your nails, chewing ice, grinding your teeth, eating hard sweets, clenching your jaw, and brushing your teeth too hard are all habits that can cause issues to the health of your teeth and mouth area. Smoking is of course the number 1 bad habit that has a detrimental effect on your oral health as does drinking coffee and red wine.
During your check-up, your dentist can assess to see if any damage has occurred due to these habits that you may not even be realizing you were doing. If your dentist finds any damage which has been caused by you, it can help you make the necessary adjustments to prevent any further damage to your oral health. Without realizing the damage that you were doing to yourself, it would have carried on until it led to potentially irreversible damage.
The Bottom Line
Dentists do not only carry out procedures, they are also concerned with ensuring that your teeth are professionally cleaned, your teeth and gums are healthy, and look out for any problems or abnormalities which could indicate a bigger health issue. They also ensure that your bones are healthy and that you keep any bad habits in check which could be damaging your health. Oral issues can progress under your radar, which is why it is so important to have a dental professional check your oral health regularly.