From a young age, you begin visiting your dentist routinely for an oral exam and a teeth cleaning. You might wonder if attending these appointments at your dentist’s office at least twice a year is really that big of a deal.
The answer is yes – you do need your dentist to thoroughly clean your teeth, even if you practice diligent oral hygiene on your own. The dentist will remove plaque and other residues that collect in spots of your smile that a toothbrush and floss cannot easily access. This way, you can get rid of build-up that would otherwise harm your oral health.
You might feel more encouraged to book your routine dental check-up when you know details about what can happen to your oral health without this professional attention. Find three dangers that can threaten your smile if you do not receive preventive oral healthcare from a dentist on a regular basis when you read on.
Risk of Dental Erosion
Your teeth can endure a great amount of wear and tear as you chew, bite, and eat throughout your day. Usually, these actions happen without issue, but over time, the enamel, the protective outer layer of your shell might weaken. You can keep enamel strong when you take care of your smile, which will include attending regular dental check-ups.
Brushing your teeth and flossing will remove a significant amount of plaque, food particles, and other residues that naturally collect on your smile. But some of this build-up will stick to your teeth in spots where these oral hygiene tools cannot reach.
These residues will encourage bacterial growth and spread, which can eat away at your enamel. This will weaken your dental structure significantly. And if your enamel suffers this damage, it will not repair on its own.
You will need intervention from your dentist to restore strength to your teeth. So avoid this dental damage in the first place by prioritizing preventive dental care and attending regular teeth cleaning appointments.
Develop Serious Dental Conditions
When you suffer dental erosion, your teeth become vulnerable to serious oral health concerns. You could experience uncomfortable symptoms like tooth sensitivity. And you can face the danger of developing cavities or tooth infections.
But with excess plaque and other residues on your smile, the resulting bacterial spread can lead to other infections too. You will see an increased risk of gum disease, an infection affecting the gum tissue.
This disease will need periodontal therapy from your dentist to treat, so take measures to prevent its formation whenever possible. This should include teeth cleanings from your dentist every six months or so.
Decline in Smile Aesthetics
If you do not get the dental attention you need from a professional teeth cleaning, you can notice cosmetic dental concerns arising. Dental erosion might make the teeth turn yellow or face a greater risk of forming dark discoloration. These stains can also form as a symptom of a cavity.
Gum disease can also disrupt your smile’s appearance by giving you red and puffy gum tissue. Avoid these issues by maintaining good oral hygiene both at home and at your dentist’s office.