Did you know that only 3 out of 10 Americans visit their dentist regularly? Whether it’s due to financial concerns, anxiety, or just plain laziness, not seeing your dentist every six months can have dire consequences. You might think it’s cheaper now to just avoid dental checkups and cleanings, but putting off these visits can actually cost you a lot of money down the road. Let’s look at a few reasons how.
1. Tooth Decay
Even if you brush and floss every day, some bacteria in plaque are bound to evade your oral hygiene efforts. These bacteria feast on particles from the food you eat and produce a harmful waste product that erodes your tooth enamel and results in cavities, which can cost a pretty penny to treat.
2. Gum Disease
If you don’t use dental floss to clean out bits of food from between your teeth and along your gumline, it attracts bacteria that create an inflammatory reaction in your gum tissue, known as gum disease. This results in swelling, tender, and bleeding gums. Gum disease is also the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States, and it’s also preventable, provided you floss and attend regular checkups.
3. Tooth Loss
Not getting dental cleanings twice a year puts you at a higher risk for tooth loss, because then you don’t get plaque that could cause decay and gum disease removed. Getting a tooth extracted and replaced with a bridge or dental implant can be quite expensive and time-consuming, so save yourself the trouble by coming in for regular appointments.
4. Stained Teeth
Brushing your teeth at home only goes so far in removing stains caused by habits like tobacco use and coffee drinking. To keep your pearly whites pearly white, it helps to get a professional cleaning every six months.
5. Bad Breath
The same germs that erode your teeth and gums also cause bad breath, or halitosis. If you notice that your breath is frequently atrocious, it might be time to visit your dentist. Chronic halitosis is one of the first signs of gum disease.
6. Heart Disease
Multiple studies have proven a link between oral health and heart disease. More specifically, the same bacteria present in gum disease can migrate to the heart and set off a chain reaction of inflammation. The healthier you keep your teeth and gums, the less likely you’ll have to shell out the high cost of heart surgery.
Although it may seem costly in the short term to visit the dentist twice a year, it can actually save you quite a bit of money in the long run. If it has been a while since you’ve seen your dentist, why not schedule an appointment today? It could even save your life!
About the Author
Dr. Christine Laster graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Dentistry in 2000. She is proud to offer many services that plenty of other dentists refer out to specialists, like tooth extractions, pediatric dentistry, and root canals. She has a passion for improving her patients’ general health through regular checkups and cleanings. To learn more, or to schedule your next appointment with Dr. Laster, you can contact her practice at (919) 787-0355.
