Good oral hygiene habits at home are incredibly important for your oral health. But even if you brush and floss perfectly, you still need professional care from a dentist, including regular checkups and cleanings. People often associate these visits with having their teeth “scraped and polished,” but they actually benefit you in many important ways. Below you’ll learn about 5 good reasons to make sure you don’t miss another dental cleaning.
1. You’ll Lower Your Long-Term Cost of Dental Care
Checkups and cleanings are designed to detect problems in their earliest stages, before they’ve caused pain or other symptoms. This is when treatment is simpler and less expensive, which minimizes the need for major procedures like root canals and crowns and lowers your dental bills over the long-term.
2. Stubborn Plaque and Tartar Are Removed
Also called “bio-film,” plaque is a soft, sticky substance that’s largely made of bacteria and often hides in hard-to-reach areas. Tartar is a hard, cement-like substance that you can’t remove at home with brushing and flossing. Plaque and tartar contribute to cavities, bad breath, and gum disease. Professional cleanings remove these deposits and go a long way towards helping you prevent these issues.
3. You’ll Improve the Appearance of Your Smile
In addition to removing plaque and tartar, a dentist or hygienist also uses special tools to remove any surface stains on your teeth from coffee, tea, red wine, tobacco, etc. This is a great way to keep your smile looking its best.
4. You’ll Prevent or Manage Gum Disease
Healthy gums are essential for supporting the teeth and giving them strength and stability. Unfortunately, gum disease is very common and also the leading cause of tooth loss. As it progressively destroys the gums and underlying bone, the teeth can become loose and fall out – even if they’ve never had a cavity.
However, regular checkups and cleanings will help prevent inflammation of the gums, which is a major factor in gum disease. They also allow a dentist to find gum problems early on when treatment is most effective.
5. You’ll Minimize Dental Emergencies
Some emergencies such as injuries and accidents can’t always be prevented. But painful toothaches and other chronic issues can be greatly minimized with regular 6-month checkups. By using various diagnostic tools to closely monitor your teeth and gums, dentists can spot a multitude of issues before they flare up down the road at an inconvenient time.
Ultimately, getting a checkup and cleaning at least twice a year is a great way to save time and money in the dental chair.
About the Author
Dr. Dan Greenwood is a dentist in Macedonia and a graduate of the Ohio State University College of Dentistry. With over 2 decades of experience, he’s found that checkups and cleanings are the foundation of good oral health and always encourages his patients to come in regularly. If you’d like to know more about the benefits of routine care or have any questions, he can be reached via his website.