It is recommended to go to the dentist once or twice a year for a routine examination, but many of us neglect these annual appointments and delay our visit to the dentist. However, even if you have no pain in your teeth or gums, it is essential to ensure the good health of your mouth in order to prevent potential complications.
If you have been putting off your visit for some time, discover these 5 good reasons to go to the dentist at least once a year:
Reason #1: detect potential cavities
A complete examination of your teeth will allow the dentist to see if there are any cavities and to determine their depth. If you do not have cavities, you will be advised to have another examination in a year. If your dentist informs you that you have cavities, their treatment will depend on the depth of each one.
Know that the earlier a cavity is detected, the more likely it is to be well cared for and the less expensive the treatment will be. With a regular dental examination, you will therefore avoid developing deep cavities which can be very painful and the treatment of which will cost you more than if you had carried out a regular examination.
In addition, an untreated cavity has a great risk of evolving into a dental abscess, which is very painful and could cause the loss of your tooth.
Reason #2: prevent oral diseases
If we often think of “caries” when we go to the dentist, the dental examination is also used to identify any other oral disease. Indeed, the dentist does not only examine your teeth, he looks at your entire mouth in order to be able to detect potential anomalies.
Thus, he inspects your gums to ensure their good health and to prevent the development of gingivitis, a disease of the gums. Thus, if he detects an inflammation early enough, he can proceed to a scaling and the pain will disappear quickly. If the problem drags on the other hand, it can lead to periodontitis and require a tooth extraction.
The dentist is also able to diagnose potential mouth cancer.
Reason #3: benefit from a cleaning and keep your teeth healthy
If a dental examination allows you to detect potential oral diseases, a complete cleaning carried out by a hygienist allows you to avoid their appearance. Its frequency is determined by your dentist according to your dentition.
A complete cleaning will get rid of plaque, tartar that settles on your teeth, which brushing and flossing alone cannot eliminate. This helps prevent cavities, but also keeps your gums healthy to prevent gingivitis.
Reason #4: save money
Although a visit to the dentist for a routine examination may seem like a new expense that is not necessary, be aware that delaying your appointment could actually increase your bill. In fact, the more cavities or other oral diseases progress, the more expensive the treatment will be.
Let’s take the example of a cavity that is slow to be detected and which progresses and becomes deeper and deeper. Its treatment may then require devitalizing your tooth, having a crown placed or even extracting your tooth in the most advanced cases: all this representing a higher cost and generating pain that you could have avoided with the examination. routine.
Reason #5: receive advice for the maintenance of your teeth
During this visit, the dentist can also take the opportunity to share valuable tips on caring for your teeth. He will be able to ask you questions about your eating habits and tell you about certain behaviors to avoid in order to preserve beautiful teeth.
Finally, he will give you a kit including the essentials: a toothbrush adapted to your teeth as well as fluoride-rich toothpaste and dental floss.
Avoid complications with prevention
As you will have understood, a regular visit to your dentist is essential if you want to take care of your teeth and preserve their good health in general.