Those who visit their dentists regularly gain many benefits. According to the American Dental Association, a child should start seeing a dentist at age 1. While life may be hectic, prioritizing your oral health and attending scheduled appointments are important. Although spending time in the dental chair may be intimidating, the consequences of skipping or delaying an appointment with your dentist in Great Neck Estates can be serious. Keep reading to learn about the possible consequences of not taking dental appointments seriously:
Why Regular Dental Appointments Are Important
Regular visits to the dentists are important to keeping your teeth and gums clean and healthy. Indeed, apart from regular tooth brushing, seeing your dentist every six months is an essential step to maintain your oral and overall health. Biannual visits let your dentist check you up for signs of dental issues and offer preventative care. During your appointments, the dentist will check for cavities, oral cancer, gum disease, or other issues before they clean your teeth thoroughly.
Your dentist has special training and uses special tools to detect oral health conditions in their early stages. Early detection allows for successful treatment using minimally invasive procedures. Usually, these procedures are more comfortable and less costly than the type of treatment necessary to address advanced tooth decay or infection.
Consequences of Skipping Dental Visits
Skipping appointments with your dentist can result in various dental issues like tooth decay, bad breath, and gum disease. In serious cases, not taking care of your teeth can result in infections, which can get worse and lead to other complications like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
If you do not see your dentist every six months, this means that any underlying issues have six months or more to worsen. When such issues get worse, they become costlier to treat and lead to pain and discomfort. The following are the negative impacts of not seeing your dentist regularly:
- Undiagnosed oral issues. Some oral issues remain unnoticed until they lead to pain or discomfort. When this happens, it may already be too late to treat the problem with dental fillings or other simple procedures. In fact, more advanced treatments such as root canal therapy, extraction, or dental crowns may be necessary to treat the condition. Undiagnosed problems like cavities, oral cancer, and gum disease can progress without being noticed, resulting in more severe health issues. Regular visits to your dentist make sure that underlying oral issues are spotted and treated early.
- Costly procedures. When not treated early, oral health issues can be costlier to treat once they have progressed. A root canal procedure or dental implant is more expensive than dental fillings. Also, some insurance plans will not cover IV sedation dentistry or other advanced treatments. Thus, you will need to pay the cost of your treatment out of pocket.
- Serious complications. Ignoring dental issues can result in tooth loss, serious infections, and gum disease. Root canal procedures and dental implants may become necessary when you delay treatment. In serious cases, untreated oral conditions can result in life-threatening complications like stroke, bacterial infections, and heart disease. Although damaged and lost teeth can be treated, the resulting overall health damage can be irreversible.
Visiting your dentist regularly is important to prevent dental issues from resulting in severe complications. Skipping dental appointments can be detrimental to your oral and overall health. Part of maintaining good overall health is keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Regular dental checkups and cleanings can help detect and treat oral health issues early, ensuring a beautiful and healthy smile. So, if you have been skipping your appointments, contact your dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist will make sure you have a healthy mouth for the future.