Dental FAQsWhy go to the dentist?

Brushing Isn’t Enough

People who neglect regular dental exams often suffer from numerous oral health and general health problems.

The most obvious risk is losing teeth to cavities or gum disease. There is also the issue of halitosis (bad breath), often caused by bacteria that brushing and flossing alone cannot eradicate.

But what if I am afraid of the dentist?
If you are avoiding the dental office due to fear, we recommend reading our What if I am afraid? article for more information. You can also contact us if you have any questions or concerns we can help you with.

Why Have Your Teeth Cleaned?

You need to have your teeth cleaned to remove the buildup of tartar. 90% of the tartar on your teeth is bacteria, which causes gum inflammation and disease. Tartar also causes bad breath.

You might be surprised to learn that more teeth are lost to gum disease than are lost to cavities.

Gum disease doesn’t only compromise your teeth. In fact, studies link gum disease to a variety of serious medical problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and premature births.

Avoiding Infection

A toothache may be a sign of a dental abscess or of an impacted wisdom tooth, which could cause infection in your mouth.

What is a dental abscess or an impacted wisdom tooth?
A dental abscess is a localized collection of pus associated with a tooth. Impacted wisdom teeth (a.k.a. impacted third molars) are wisdom teeth which do not fully erupt into the mouth because of blockage from other teeth.

Bacteria travel, so an infection in your mouth can compromise your immune system and your entire body. If left untreated, a dental abscess or an impacted wisdom tooth can even be deadly.

Other than war related deaths, impacted wisdom teeth used to be the leading cause of death in males under 40. For women the leading cause of death used to be child birth, then wisdom teeth

The “Shame” Factor

We’ve learned that there are many medical risks involved in neglecting oral care. But what about the emotional and psychological aspects? Consider the following:

• The reluctance to smile is embarrassing
• So is bad breath!
• From a business and a social standpoint, bad teeth can really limit your success

Once again, avoiding regular dental check ups and cleanings just isn’t worth the downsides.

Spotting Oral Cancer

The failure to have regular dental exams can result in missed opportunities to diagnose oral cancer. High risk patients include people who like to smoke (chewing tobacco is much worse than smoking) as well as patients that enjoy alcoholic beverages or overly spicy or acidic foods.

The sooner oral cancer is detected, the greater the odds that one can beat it.

Getting Started

Hopefully we’ve shown you why it’s critical to take control of your oral health by scheduling regular visits to the dental office. Now’s the time to get started!

Contact us to arrange for your appointment.