You probably have already heard somewhere that brushing and flossing your teeth twice daily is essential to prevent potential dental issues. However, if you’re not regularly visiting your dentist for a routine checkup and cleaning in addition to that, then you could potentially harm your oral health. Your dentist and their hygienists have the technology and experience to spot problem areas that you might miss to safeguard your smile.
Continue reading to learn about 3 of the potential consequences of missing a routine appointment!
Problem #1: Oral Cancer
It may come as a surprise to learn that your dentist includes an oral cancer screening as a standard part of your appointment. An estimated 58,500+ Americans will be diagnosed with this serious medical issue this year, and of those, only slightly more than half will still be living in 5 years’ time. Although it’s an incredibly dangerous condition, oral cancer can often be treated if it’s caught early enough.
To protect your dental and overall well-being, your provider scans the soft tissues in your mouth at every checkup to ensure that you haven’t developed early indicators that point to cancer.
Problem #2: Cavities
Another common oral concern is tooth decay, and according to the CDC, approximately one in every four adults in the United States has an untreated cavity. Even if you’re dedicated to your regular at-home dental hygiene routine, there are places in your mouth that can be hard to see or reach to clean them thoroughly. For example, you might develop caries behind your molars or between teeth that are difficult to floss.
Your dentist has access to special technology, such as virtual cavity detection systems, digital X-rays, and scanners, that help identify potential areas of concern that might not otherwise be visible. This allows them to find any hidden issues and treat them before they have a chance to progress.
Problem #3: Gum Disease
You might think that if you floss regularly, you don’t have to worry about gum disease, but that’s unfortunately not always the case. While flossing does remove plenty of plaque and bacteria, germs can still penetrate beneath your gum line and cause an infection. The disease begins quietly, and you might miss it because you may not have any noticeable symptoms until it has already evolved into periodontitis.
Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss and can also enter your bloodstream to contribute to other medical concerns like heart issues or diabetes. Fortunately, your dentist knows what to look for and can treat gingivitis before it causes serious damage.
As you can see, having a checkup with your dentist every 6 months is a simple but effective way to protect your teeth!
About the Author
Dr. Mike Rudolph has been helping families improve their dental health for more than 30 years. He earned a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from the University of Maryland and then graduated from the Maryland School of Dentistry. Now, he offers a full array of services to meet all your dental needs at one convenient location. He enjoys getting to know patients so that if a problem arises, he can quickly devise individualized treatment plans to help. Using state-of-the-art equipment, he both enhances patient comfort and produces more accurate results. If you skipped your last checkup and want an appointment, you can request one on the website or by calling (574) 475-8185.