Importance Of Regular Dental Visits
There is no doubt that prevention is preferable to cure. Based on this principle, medical and dentists experts emphasize regular dental visits so that potential diseases can be diagnosed at an early stage.
Dental research states that 25% of children in the U.S. develop cavities by the age of four years, and sometimes as early as age two. Dentists maintain that regular dental checkups are most important to prevent future dental complications and help the preschool child develop some regular habits of brushing and flossing to preserve good oral health.
Some dentists feel that the first visit does not need to occur until around age of three, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children receive a dental exam after their first birthday, and most dentists agree. Also, dental experts believe that generally, children and adults should see their dentist for a regular cleaning and check up every six months, but people at a greater risk for oral diseases should have dental check ups more than twice a year.
An experienced dentist takes into various factors in deciding how often each patient should visit the dental clinic. Those factors include tobacco and alcohol use, diabetes, pregnancy, periodontal and gum disease, poor oral hygiene and certain other medical conditions. After examining your mouth, your dentist will recommend how often you need to make dental visits.
Going to your regular dental checkups will help keep the gums and teeth healthy as well as detect any problems such as gum disease, oral cancer and cavities. The best way to maintain good oral health is to visit your dentist on a regular basis.
The regular dental visits also include oral cancer screenings. The incidence of oral cancer in the United States is so rampant that every hour of every day, someone dies of oral cancer. This possibly fatal dental disease affects the mouth, lips or throat. However, this disease may be curable if diagnosed and treated in early stages. Regular dental visits help identify and treat this disease at an early stage. Thus, visiting the dentist for regular checkups and avoiding harmful substances such as tobacco and alcohol are the key factors in preventing oral cancer.
Now, when you have made a habit of making regular dental visits, it is your obligation to follow the treatment plan for dental work that your dentist will prescribe for you. At a minimum, your dentist will recommend following a regular regime of brushing and flossing twice a day. Untreated cavities can continue to get bigger. If they get big enough to reach the nerve in your tooth, your only options would be to have a root canal or have the tooth extracted.
Seeing a dentist for regular dental check ups and cleanings, brushing twice a day, flossing daily and eating a nutritional diet are some of the very simple techniques that can go a long way to maintain a good overall health and therefore a fit and healthy lifestyle. So, contact a Wilmette dentist today, to schedule a dental checkup of your mouth and teeth.
