While no one necessarily likes to visit the dentist, it’s a necessary evil that we all have to do. It’s recommended that you visit your local dental office at least twice a year. This is to keep up with your dental care and to essentially stop dental problems in their tracks before they’re allowed to get worse. Unfortunately, many people forgo the dentist assuming that they can just go when there is a problem. While this might help to put your dental problems on the back burner for the time being, it’s not preventing things from getting worse.
Here are seven things that happen when you don’t visit the dentist regularly:
1. Tooth Decay
When teeth begin to develop decay, they start off as cavities that need fillings. Once the cavities become too large, the tooth will then need a root canal and subsequent crown or cap. This means that a simple small cavity needing a tiny filling can become a larger problem that requires a lot more work, forcing you to sit in the dental chair for a lot longer than you’d probably like.
2. Gum Disease
If you don’t go for regular cleanings, you can develop gum disease. If left undetected and untreated, the gum disease can lead to eventual tooth loss and even jaw bone problems. This is why it’s essential that you keep up with your bi-annual dental appointments so that your gums can be checked and kept in perfect health. Your dentist can help to prevent and even reverse gum disease if this is a problem for you.
3. Unsightly Smile
When you don’t get regular cleanings, you’ll have a buildup of calculus and tartar on the teeth. If you smile at yourself in the mirror right now, you might notice hardened plaque, known as calculus, on some of your teeth. There are also going to be stains and even tartar buildup if you don’t get cleanings done regularly. You may not even realize it, but people can tell if you haven’t been to the dentist in a while just by the way your smile looks.
4. Increased Fear of the Dentist
The longer you put off the dentist, the more afraid of going you’ll be. This is an issue for anyone who puts off the dentist because of anxiety and finds that they only become more anxious the less often they go. This is also due to the fact that putting off the dentist is going to result in more work needing to be done, which puts you in the dental chair for longer periods of time.
5. Increasing Dental Pain
Sure, you can ignore the dentist all you want, but if you have cavities and other dental problems, don’t be surprised if they become painful over time. This is an issue for anyone who is ignoring the dentist in hopes that their issues will go away. You might just have a dental emergency on your hands in the near future simply because you’re ignoring the problem.
6. Tooth Loss
Losing your teeth is horrifying and can hurt your self-esteem and confidence. If you forgo the dentist long enough and cavities are allowed to get too bad, you could eventually lose your teeth. This starts out by teeth becoming loose and then eventually falling out when you eat something or brush them. This can be devastating, to say the least, but it is totally avoidable if you go to the dentist often enough.
7. Increase in Dental Costs
Let’s face it, dental costs are expensive and most people don’t even have insurance. However, most dental offices offer dental finance plans that let you pay for procedures over the course of several months rather than up-front. If you avoid the dentist altogether, you’re going to eventually need even more work done than you do now and it’s going to be more expensive than you’d like.
Now that you know the importance of visiting your local dentist, be sure to set up an appointment and meet with professionals. By taking care of your teeth, you’ll have a gorgeous smile for life and enjoy showing off those pearly whites.
