Thinking about skipping those twice a year dental check-ups?
It may seem like a lot of time with the dentist, but those regular exams benefit you and your kids in many ways.
Many oral problems are preventable. Your dentist is your best partner in establishing healthy habits for prevention and spotting problems early.
Keep reading to see why you need to schedule a regular dental exam for everyone in the family.
Establish Relationships With Dentist
When you schedule a regular dental tooth cleaning twice a year, you gradually get to know your dentist better. This helps build trust and makes you feel more comfortable talking to your dentist.
For kids, that early relationship can help them avoid feeling scared when going to the dentist. It can give them confidence when they have future appointments, especially if they need dental work.
The relationship also lets your dentist get to know you and your special needs. When you see the same dentist each time, you have a set of dental records to track your oral health.
Your dentist can look up past exam notes and X-rays easily. This helps you get continuous, personalized care based on your dental history.
Learn Proper Oral Care
Are you sure your kids are brushing and flossing properly? Are you following proper oral care guidelines for adults?
Your dentist can help you learn those proper techniques.
If you’re unsure of how to teach your kids proper oral hygiene, listen up to the dentist at appointments. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your dentist is a rich resource for dental care knowledge.
If you have an older child who doesn’t like to brush, hearing about the importance of oral care from the dentist may make a difference. Sometimes kids need to hear it from someone outside the family.
Learning how to care for teeth from a young age makes it second nature for your kids. They’ll grow up understanding what they need to do to keep their teeth healthy.
Keep Teeth Clean and Healthy
You brush and floss regularly to keep your teeth clean, but you also need a professional deeper clean regularly. Hygienists have special tools to remove any built-up plaque and tartar. Those things can affect your teeth, even with regular oral care.
Removing plaque and tartar is crucial for preventing tooth decay, which is a major problem for all ages.
In kids 2 to 11, cavities in primary teeth affect 42% in that group. In ages 12 to 19, the occurrence of cavities in permanent teeth is 59% of the population. The rate for adults ages 20 to 64 jumps to 92%.
Simply scheduling regular dental appointments to get the plaque and tartar professionally removed can reduce your risks of cavities.
Regular dental cleanings leave your teeth looking better, which makes you more confident in your smile. They may also help improve your breath.
Spot Dental Problems Early
Cavities happen, even when you do all the right things to take care of your teeth. Your dentist can spot those issues early to tackle them before they become worse.
Early detection can save you a lot of money and discomfort. Fixing a minor cavity is much easier and cheaper than waiting until the decay spreads or causes an infection. You’ll also avoid the pain that sometimes comes with tooth decay.
Another common problem is periodontal disease, or gum disease, which affects 47.2% of Americans 30 or older in some form. It starts as minor inflammation of your gums, but it can affect the bones that support your teeth. This can lead to loose teeth or even result in teeth falling out.
If your dentist catches it early, you can prevent the more advanced damage. Even if your gum disease is advanced, your dentist may have treatment options.
Like cavities, gum disease is easier and more affordable to treat when you catch it early.
Ensure Proper Tooth Development
For kids especially, proper tooth development is essential. As a parent, you may not know what’s normal. But your child’s dentist knows exactly how things should develop.
Baby teeth are just as important as permanent teeth, even though they won’t stick around long. When your child’s baby teeth stay healthy, the permanent teeth are healthier.
As the permanent teeth start to grow, the dentist watches for problems, such as overcrowding and incorrect positioning. Early orthodontic care can correct those development issues while they’re easier to manage.
When you go to regular check-ups, the dentist has a record of the changes in teeth. This can make it easier to spot a problem early.
Spot Other Health Issues
You may think your dentist is only concerned with your teeth, but dental exams go beyond the mouth. Dentists look for other potential health problems in your head and neck area.
Cancer is of particular concern to dentists. They know how to spot signs of oral cancer and cancers in your head and neck.
Your dentist won’t handle the cancer treatment, but that early detection is important in successful treatment. You can schedule an appointment with your regular healthcare provider or get a referral to a specialist to create a treatment plan.
Get Professional Advice
Is something about your teeth or mouth bothering you? Maybe you’ve wondered about orthodontic treatment to straighten your teeth or whitening treatments to improve your smile.
You can research any dental topic online, but that doesn’t guarantee the information you find is accurate or safe. When you get regular check-ups with a trusted dentist, you have a professional resource for those answers.
Your dentist knows your personal dental situations. That means you can get personalized recommendations instead of one-size-fits-all information you get online.
Schedule Regular Check-Ups
With so many reasons to get dental check-ups, why are you waiting? Scheduling regular appointments for yourself and your kids helps keep your teeth healthy and helps correct problems early before they become major.
Schedule an appointment with us today to get everyone in the family caught up on their dental care routine. We cover everything from pediatric dentistry and orthodontics to general and cosmetic dentistry.