2022-09-28T01:00:47+00:00

Many people are guilty of only visiting a dental professional when they have a problem of some sort. Sometimes it’s a filling that fell out; sometimes it’s a lot more serious and a lot more costly. This can be frustrating for everyone because the truth is regular dental visits is the best way to stop these bigger problems from happening in the first place.

human jaw model with metal wired dental braces

Regular dental visits can do wonders, especially in maintaining healthy teeth and gums.

It’s generally recommended that people have a routine check-up, scale and clean, and fluoride treatment every six months. During this simple process, your dentist and oral health therapist will, among other things:

  • Look for cavities;
  • Examine your gum health;
  • Test existing filling and crowns;
  • Check for cracked or broken teeth;
  • Assess your bite;
  • Examine the tissue inside your mouth;
  • Perform a professional cleaning;
  • Polish your teeth.

Prevention is always better than cure, and regular visits to your dentist and oral health therapist can prevent you from dealing with serious dental issues down the line. Here are some of the benefits to booking a bi-annual check-up with your dentist and oral health therapist today.

1. It can prevent unpleasant treatments

Root canals and extractions are often the result of tooth decay (cavities) that went unnoticed and eventually grew into much bigger problems. Regular visits allow your dental professional to spot cavities during their early development stage. This means they can prevent serious deterioration by inserting a simple filling or even applying a fissure sealant to coat the area. This also gives your dentist and oral health therapist the opportunity to examine existing fillings to ensure they’re still holding strong.

2. It can unearth the first signs of cancer

This is an important one that many people aren’t even aware is a part of their check-up. When examining your mouth, your dental professional will also look at surrounding tissue and your tongue to perform an oral cancer screening. This disease spreads very quickly, but is easy to treat once it’s discovered before this happens. This means your check-up not only saves your teeth, it could save your life.

3. Clean teeth

We hope you remember to brush and floss twice a day, but even if you do, that’s not always enough to keep your teeth completely clean. Tartar can build up in hard to reach places forming plaque, which cannot be removed by regular brushing. For complete oral hygiene, visiting your dentist and oral health therapist regularly is key so they can perform a thorough clean and remove any build-up.

4. Gum disease

One of the side effects of plaque and tartar build-up is gum disease. Also known as gingivitis, this causes an infection in the area of your gum that meets the tooth, which if left untreated, can lead to gum erosion.

This only causes noticeable discomfort in its later stages, at which point it can also affect the bone holding your teeth in place. Once this happens, extensive treatment is required. Your dental professional can spot the early signs of gum disease and recommend changes to your daily oral health routine. Routine cleanings can also help keep gum disease at bay.

5. It’s a great way to keep your teeth looking bright

Professional teeth whitening is a common and inexpensive cosmetic treatment that many people chose to have these days. However, some minor tooth staining can be countered with a professional polish by your dentist and oral health therapist. Regular check-ups mean regular polishing, which results in you having a bright smile for much longer.

6. Keep bad habits in check

Many of us have bad habits that could be inadvertently damaging our teeth and some of these you might not even realise you’re doing. Hot weather could be causing you to chew ice, which can damage your enamel. You may be brushing more aggressively than usual, which is doing harm to your gums. You may even have started grinding your teeth while you sleep due to stress and haven’t realised.

With regular check-ups, your dental professional can track any changes that are occurring and note whether these are happening at an accelerated rate. This allows you to identify any innocent habits that could cause irreversible and expensive damage if left unchecked.

7. Find invisible problems

Going to see your dentist and oral health therapist for a check-up gives you the option of getting an x-ray – something that can identify underlying problems lurking beneath the surface. These include cavities in hidden places, bone decay, swellings or impacted teeth, which can be a problem before your wisdom teeth appear. These issues often don’t have outwardly noticeable signs until it’s too late, so an x-ray could save you a lot of trouble.

Book your check-up today and keep your teeth in top condition.