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"Say cheese!" It's a phrase we hear so often when taking photos, but how confident are you in your smile? Investing in your dental health not only means having pearly whites and fresh breath, but it can also prevent serious health issues. In this blog post, we'll explore why regular trips to the dentist are worth it and the benefits of investing in your beautiful smile. So put on those invisible braces and let's dive into the world of dental care!
Introduction
It's no secret that first impressions matter. When you meet someone for the first time, one of the first things they notice is your smile. A healthy, bright smile can make you seem more approachable, trustworthy, and even successful. On the other hand, a dull or yellowed smile can give off the impression that you're unhealthy or unkempt. That's why it's important to invest in your smile by regularly visiting the dentist. Through professional cleanings and teeth whitening treatments, your dentist can help you maintain a healthy, attractive smile that will boost your confidence and make a great first impression.
What Regular Dental Visits Can Do For You
Most people know that regular dental visits are important for keeping their teeth and gums healthy. However, many people don’t realize all the other benefits that regular dental visits can provide. Here are just a few of the things that regular dental visits can do for you:
Improve Your Overall Health
Did you know that your oral health is closely linked to your overall health? In fact, we already know that gum disease is directly linked with heart health! That’s why maintaining good oral hygiene and visiting the dentist regularly can help improve your overall health. If you want to know more about how heart disease and your gum health, the British Heart Foundation have written a handy article for you here:
Prevent Cavities and Tooth Decay
Regular dental check-ups allow your dentist to identify any potential problems early on and take steps to prevent them from getting worse. Early detection means that we catch defects whilst they are very minor. Early treatment not only means more comfortable treatment, and it’s also easier on your purse or wallet – believe it or not, that’s what we want for you!
Mouth Cancer Detection
We can detect oral cancer early! Oral cancer is often caught in its earliest stages during routine dental exams. This means that timely treatment can be started, which can greatly improve the chances of a successful outcome. Read more to discover more about how we help catch cancer early.
Optimum Smile Performance
Keep your smile looking its best – Regular professional cleanings can remove built-up plaque and tartar that cannot be removed with brushing and flossing alone. This will help keep your teeth looking their best and can also help prevent bad breath.
More About Signs of Good Overall Health
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t give much thought to your teeth unless they’re giving you trouble. But your oral health is important for more than just a great smile – it’s also essential for overall good health. Here are just a few ways that regular trips to the dentist can keep you healthy:
1. Prevent tooth decay and gum disease
Cavities and gum disease are not only painful, but they can also lead to other serious health problems. By seeing your dentist regularly, you can catch these issues early and avoid serious complications down the road.
2. Detect oral cancer early
Oral cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, but it is also one of the most treatable if it’s caught early. Your dentist can spot signs of oral cancer during a routine exam, so be sure to see yours at least once a year.
3. Heart Health
We know that you need to eat healthy, exercise, and de-stress to keep your heart healthy but a dental visit is essential too! Endocarditis and atherosclerosis are just two major heart problems linked with bacteria in our mouths. However, FEAR NOT! Regular maintenance cleaning can help to prevent these heart conditions. More information can be found here.
4. Gut Health.
Did you know that your mouth tells us an awful lot about what is going on inside your body? In fact, recent research at the University of Birmingham studies biomarkers in saliva with an aim to diagnose conditions such as IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). Even without a research grant, your mouth has tell-tale signs that something may not be quite right further down the track. Persistent mouth ulcers, white marks in hard-to-reach areas, and poorly formed enamel are all indicators of a problem with gut health.
5. Osteoporosis
During routine examinations, you can expect to have x-rays taken approximately every two years. You may think we’re simply checking for hidden cavities, but we also look at your bone health. In fact, you dentist may be the first person to notice a change related to you bone health. Signs of osteoporosis in the mouth include:
- Bone loss around the teeth and jaw
- Tooth loss
- Loose or ill-fitting dentures
- Tooth movement
- Ill fitting retainers / night guards
- Gum Disease
More About Reduced Risk Of Tooth Decay And Cavities
Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you, so it’s important to take care of your teeth. Regular trips to the dentist can help reduce the risk of tooth decay and cavities.
Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in your mouth that produce acids that eat away at your enamel. This can lead to cavities and other dental problems.
Regular dental examinations can help catch these problems early so they can be treated before they become serious. In addition, your dentist can give you advice on how to keep your teeth healthy and prevent future problems.
Unfortunately, we know that the larger the filling, the higher the risk for complications. For example, losing the filling, further tooth cracking, or at worst, nerve inflammation and the need for root canal treatment, dental crowns and tooth removal. Perhaps this will lead to an implant or denture to replace lost teeth.
When this pattern of decay starts, it can be a slippery slope to losing teeth. There’s no scaremongering required. No matter how you look at it, regular dental care is an investment in your health and appearance that is worth making.
More About Early Detection Of Mouth Cancer
One of the best things you can do for your smile is to visit the dentist regularly. Not only does this help to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy, but it also allows your dentist to catch potential problems - like mouth cancer - early on.
Early detection of oral cancer increases your change of survival by up to 90%! At Serenity Dental, we provide mouth cancer screening at every routine examination visit. You dentist with do a physical examination of the lymph nodes and jaw for any signs of unusual swelling, and look inside the mouth and under the tongue for anything that looks suspicious.
One of the advantages of visiting regularly is that we know what is normal FOR YOU. Teeth, mouths, and bodies come in all shapes and sizes, but we will know when something is different when we see you on a regular basis.
More About Healthy Gums
Healthy gums are pink in colour and firm, while unhealthy gums can be red, swollen, or bleeding. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, so it’s important to take care of your gums!
Brushing twice a day and flossing daily are the best ways to keep your gums healthy. Be sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and gentle strokes when brushing. If you have any symptoms of gum disease, such as bleeding gums or receding gums, be sure to see your dentist right away. Regular dental check-ups are also important for keeping your gums healthy.
More About A Fresh Breath And A Bright Smile
Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you, so it’s important to take care of your teeth and gums. Regular trips to the dentist can help keep your mouth healthy and your smile looking its best.
Good oral hygiene habits, like brushing and flossing, are crucial for preventing cavities, gum disease, and other problems. But even if you brush and floss religiously, you still need to see a dentist regularly for professional cleanings and check-ups.
During a professional cleaning, your dentist or hygienist will remove plaque and tartar from your teeth that you can’t remove with at-home care. Professional cleanings can also help detect problems early, before they become serious.
Regular dental check-ups are also important for maintaining good oral health. Your dentist will examine your teeth and gums for signs of trouble and make sure you are keeping up with good oral hygiene habits. If you have any questions or concerns about your mouth, this is the time to ask!
Dentists can also provide helpful advice on how to take care of your teeth at home. They can recommend the best toothpaste and floss for your needs, show you how to properly brush and floss, and give you tips on avoiding foods that damage your teeth.
What Can Happen If You Don’t See The Dentist Regularly?
One of the most important things you can do for your smile is to visit the dentist regularly. That’s because many dental problems don’t have symptoms in the early stages, so you might not even know there’s a problem until it’s too late.
Cavities are a good example. They start out small, and you might not feel any pain until the cavity has gotten big enough to damage the nerve inside the tooth. By then, it might be too late to save the tooth with a simple filling. You might need a more extensive procedure like a root canal or even an extraction.
Gum disease is another dental problem that often doesn’t have any symptoms in the early stages. If it’s not caught early and treated, it can lead to tooth loss. It can also increase your risk of other health problems, such as heart disease and stroke.
So why take chances with your smile? Schedule regular examinations with your dentist so you can catch dental problems early and keep your smile healthy for life!