In my dental practice of more than a decade, coming across individuals who visit dentists routinely for regular dental check-ups has been quite an infrequent occurrence. Most people visit a dentist only when they have a problem. And, toothache seems to be the only problem for many!
For the well-being of a person, good oral health is no less important than overall health. Therefore, awareness regarding the importance of oral health is equally significant as that of overall health.
Regular dental check-ups are as essential as other routine check-ups of your body. Both adults and children should visit a dentist regularly. Most often, you are recommended to visit a dentist every six months. However, the time frame for dental visits can vary depending on the current oral health status of an individual.
As we know, there is an old saying, prevention is better than cure. Regular dental check-ups help your dentist identify oral health issues at an early stage, thus, preventing the progress to a more serious condition requiring more invasive treatment.
For your better understanding of the importance of routine dental visits, I would like to elaborate on the benefits of regular dental check-ups.
Ø Detect tooth decay, cavities, plaque, tartar, and gum disease
Plaque and tartar are the root causes of many oral health problems. If these go undetected for a long, one can experience gum disease, tooth decay, etc. Regular professional dental cleanings can get rid of plaque and tartar accumulation.
Tooth decay is damage to the tooth’s hard surface. If left untreated, it can progress to cavity formation (hole in the tooth), and pulp (innermost tissue of tooth) disease causing toothache, abscess, and mobility (loose tooth).
There are chances of reversing the earliest stage of tooth decay by fluoride treatment and remineralization pastes. The advanced stages of tooth decay require restorative (dental fillings) or endodontic (root canal treatment) treatment.
Ø Detect oral problems through x-rays
In addition to clinical examination, dentists can recommend dental x-rays at least once a year. Dental x-rays help detect the problems inside the mouth that are hidden from sight and present with no or little symptoms until the condition has progressed to an advanced stage. These include impacted teeth, proximal cavities (cavities between two teeth), bone loss, bone decay, cysts, tumors, etc.
Ø Detect oral cancer and other health issues
At a routine dental visit, in addition to looking for signs of oral cancer inside your mouth, the dentist will also perform a head and neck exam. Also, a number of systemic diseases have oral manifestations. Your dentist can refer you to the appropriate medical professional at the earliest.
Ø Motivation for a healthy lifestyle
An appointment with your dentist can motivate you to make lifestyle changes that will uplift your oral as well as overall health. The dentist will explain to you the correlation between several diseases (tooth decay, gum disease, oral cancer) and unhealthy lifestyles such as frequent intake of sugary and acidic food and beverages, tobacco, and alcohol consumption.
Dentists can also identify destruction caused by habits like nail biting, thumb sucking, teeth grinding, brushing too hard, etc. Regular dental check-ups not only fix the damage done but, also motivate us to make healthy lifestyle choices.
Ø Maintaining good oral health for kids
Regular dental check-ups help inculcate good oral health habits among kids. Dentists can also evaluate and aid in a smooth transition from milk teeth to permanent teeth stage.
At Gulmohar Family Dentistry, Our team of experienced doctors helps each patient maintain better oral health and offers them the best dental treatment which they deserve. Book an appointment with us today!
Keywords: regular or routine dental check-ups, dentist, cavities, plaque, tartar, gum disease, oral cancer, kids, lifestyle, x-rays, best dental treatment
