You take good care of you teeth – you brush twice a day, floss most days, and nobody tells you that you have bad breath. Nothing hurts. In fact, most of the time when you go to the dentist, they congratulate you on your great oral health and send you on your way with a shiny new toothbrush. So did you need to go in for a checkup to hear something you already knew? Is it really necessary to spend the money on visits to the dentist to get a standard dental cleaning twice a year?
The answer is a resounding YES! There are many good reasons to see your dentist twice a year, and although most of them are preventative, that doesn’t make them any less important. Here are just a few reasons to schedule your regular dental cleaning today:
You’ll Save Money
We’re putting this at the top of the list, because it seems counterintuitive. Spending more money at dental visits will help you save money? What? But it’s true – hear us out.
A visit every six months for a dental cleaning will help you catch small problems as they develop. A tiny cavity is easy to fill, and usually won’t cost you more than a couple hundred bucks, even without insurance.
Your dentist can even tell you where you’ll be likely to get a cavity if you don’t take better care of your teeth, which will allow you to prevent and even reverse light enamel decay.
But if you don’t go, you won’t know, and that tiny cavity will turn into a bigger cavity. A root canal can cost up to $2,000 – and that’s before the crown to cover the compromised tooth. You do the math.
Prevent Plaque and Tartar
Plaque is that goopy whitish stuff that you find on your teeth after your haven’t brushed for – er – well, we won’t tell anyone how long it’s been. Plaque is made up of a combination of saliva and the food and fluids you drink, and – more importantly – it is chock-full of bacteria that attack tooth enamel and cause cavities and gum disease. Yuck!
Even worse, if plaque is left for too long, it actually hardens, calcifies, and turns into tartar. Tartar bonds to your tooth enamel, and is harder to remove. It discolors your teeth and can cause your gumline to recede. Trust us… you don’t want plaque, or tartar.
Avoid Gum Disease
Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is serious stuff. It’s when your gums become so infected and inflamed that the soft tissue of the gums is damaged. If left untreated, gum disease can even destroy the bone that holds your teeth in your head. Yikes.
People with long-term gum disease often end up losing teeth, spending heaps of money on extractions and dentures (see our earlier point about saving money). Although denture technology has come a long way, trust us when we say that you really are better off with your original teeth.
The good news is that gum disease is entirely preventable! Regular brushing and flossing and seeing your dentist every six months will keep your mouth clean and healthy.
As the old saying goes: A penny of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is especially true when it comes to your teeth. You only have one set – take good care of them consistently and you can avoid many common problems in the future. Going to the dentist every six months will actually save you money – and keep your mouth clean and healthy for a lifetime.
