According to the American Dental Association, 42 percent of Americans don’t visit the dentist as much as they want to.
Whether they don’t want to pay for a dental cleaning and checkup, or just can’t make the time to visit, too many people are neglecting a major part of their healthcare.
While your oral health may not seem as important as other aspects of your health, it’s actually a lot more important than you think. There are many benefits of a dental cleaning and a lot of risks when you avoid the dentist.
Keep reading to learn some shocking reasons and benefits for getting a dental cleaning and checkup.
1. Early Detection of Oral Health Problems
The biggest reason to visit the dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and a checkup is so your dentist can detect any oral health problems.
While some issues can be noticeable to you through signs like toothaches, most dental problems are only detected by a professional through x-rays and an inspection of the mouth.
Without visiting the dentist, you could be allowing issues like tooth decay and gum disease worsen.
By going in for regular dental cleanings, you can catch gum disease and tooth decay before they turn into something more serious. Untreated tooth decay leads to cavities and may even lead to you needing a root canal or dental implant.
2. You’ll Save Money and Time
If you allow oral health problems to go untreated, they will cost you a fortune down the line. For example, if you have tooth decay and don’t catch it early during a dental cleaning, you’ll end up paying for a root canal or an implant to replace a lost tooth.
Those procedures cost thousands of dollars if you don’t have dental insurance to cover it. These costs can be avoided by going in for regular dental cleanings that are much more affordable.
Not only will you save money, but you’ll save time. For example, if you have to go in for a root canal because you neglected your oral health, you’ll need to make several appointments. One for a consultation, one for the surgery, and a couple more for checkups.
So if you’re avoiding dental cleanings because you don’t have time, consider how time-consuming a serious dental problem will be down the line.
3. Prevent Plaque and Tartar Buildup
Plaque is a sticky film that contains millions of bacteria and builds up on your teeth over time. If plaque continues to build up and is not removed, it will turn to tartar which cannot be removed. This is how your teeth get stained and start looking unhealthy.
Tartar and plaque buildup don’t just look bad, but they lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
By visiting the dentist for a cleaning, they will remove the plaque before it turns to tartar.
4. Prevent Bad Breath
You might be surprised to hear that regular dental visits are necessary to avoid bad breath.
Yes, if you brush, floss, and use mouthwash regularly, you will generally have good breath. But over time, food particles and bacteria build up in hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. This buildup leads to chronic bad breath that no amount of mouthwash can cover up.
At your dental cleaning, they will clean these hard to reach areas and rid your mouth of any bacteria, leaving your breath as fresh as ever.
5. Improve Your Overall Wellbeing
Did you know oral health directly impacts other areas of physical health? Many people avoid the dentist because they think it’s less important than treating other physical health issues, but that’s far from the truth.
Poor oral health has been linked to several life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease.
If you have tooth decay, you may start to experience painful toothaches that lead to other health problems like migraines and insomnia. If tooth decay is left untreated for long enough, bacteria can enter the bloodstream which will result in a serious bacterial infection.
Your dentist may even be able to detect serious health problems like oral cancer that you’d never know about otherwise, which could potentially save your life.
It’s especially important for pregnant women to maintain their oral health because poor dental health can lead to premature birth and low birth weight.
6. You’ll Maintain a Healthy Smile
When you visit the dentist, they spend time deeply cleaning your teeth which allows them to shine and sparkle more than they would without the help of a dentist.
Your dentist can tell you which parts of your dental hygiene are lacing, such as weak gums or not brushing behind your teeth. You can take this knowledge home with you and make the necessary changes to maintain a healthy smile.
Having a healthy smile is an important part of feeling confident, so a visit to the dentist can actually make you feel more confident in your smile and appearance.
7. Your Dental Phobia Will Lessen
Many people suffer from a dental phobia, or the fear of visiting the dentist. For this reason, people will avoid going to the dentist at all costs.
But by going in for regular dental cleanings, you’ll start to get comfortable with your dentist and your fears will lessen. You’ll also have much better oral health, which can prevent you from having to go in for much scarier visits, such as getting a root canal or undergoing oral surgery.
It’s Time to Experience the Benefits of a Dental Cleaning
There’s no doubt about it: visiting the dentist has many benefits, and avoiding a dental cleaning can have a negative impact on your health, both now and in the future.
Are you overdue for a visit to the dentist? Do you want to experience all of these benefits of a dental cleaning?
Contact us today to schedule your next appointment!