As soon as we begin growing our first baby teeth, we start visiting the dentist on a regular basis. But in adulthood, we might wonder if continuing to attend these dental appointments is really necessary. You may feel tempted to skip a dental check-up to avoid hassle.
Your dentist provides crucial preventative dental services during these check-ups, so you should attend them as your dentist recommends. You can feel more inclined to do so when you know more about these types of appointments. Read on to discover the importance of routine dental attention for your oral health.
Why Do I Need Routine Dental Care?
When you attend your routine dental check-up, a dentist will complete a few important services for your smile. They begin by cleaning your teeth. You practice oral hygiene at home, but your toothbrush and floss alone will not reach all areas of your mouth.
You must seek professional cleaning from your dentist so that they can scrape stubborn plaque and tartar from your teeth in tricky spots of your mouth, like near the gumline. Otherwise, these residues will linger in your smile and wreak serious, irreversible havoc. The build-up will weaken your teeth, increasing your risk for cavities and other dental threats.
Your dentist will also perform an oral exam at this routine appointment. They check your smile for signs of gum disease or other problems, and an x-ray can also allow them to monitor potential concerns on the interior of the teeth. Then they can offer swift treatment for any issues.
Early diagnosis and dental intervention make these concerns easier to treat. Then you can have a reduced risk of permanent damage that will require more extensive dental work to fix.
How Often Should I Schedule Dental Check-Ups?
The average dental patient should schedule routine dental check-ups every six months. Most dental insurance plans will cover two of these types of appointments per year, which makes attending them easier.
Some dental patients may need to see their dentist more frequently than this though. For instance, senior-aged patients, those who form tartar more often, and people with underlying health issues may need to visit their dentist three or four times a year.
The dentist can evaluate your unique smile to determine the amount of preventative dental care that you need to maintain good oral health. So do not delay scheduling your next regular dentist appointment. Give your dentist in Cary, NC, a call today.
Adhering to optimal routine care, including your at-home efforts, will reduce your risk of a dental emergency. In the long run, this will save you money and hassle, far more than skipping your regular appointment would offer.
A dentist can restore damaged teeth if needed, but you should preserve your natural dental structure as long as you can by seeking preventative dental care. Learn more when you contact your local dentist.