Has it been a while since you last set foot into your dentist's office?
If so, you're not alone. Many patients avoid the dentist out of fear or embarrassment.
Regardless of your reason for putting off that dental appointment, you're potentially harming your health and wellbeing by putting your oral health at risk.
There are many negative effects of not seeing your dentist regularly every six months, including:
A less than ideal smile. Many dental conditions happen slowly over time as a result of sub-standard oral hygiene. By not seeing the dentist, the plaque and tartar that causes cavities, tooth discoloration, and gum disease will continue to erode one's beautiful smile. If left unchecked, tooth decay can gum disease can result in lost teeth, which will ruin anyone's smile.
Increase the possibility of more expensive, intensive dental treatments. The longer one waits to have a dental professional examine their teeth and gums, the worse the damage caused by gum disease and tooth decay will be. The more damage that's done to one's teeth and gums, the more extensive and expensive the restorative treatments will be.
Regular visits to the dentist will help catch the early stages of tooth decay and gum disease and better prevent them from getting out of hand.
Continue living with dental pain and discomfort. If you have a toothache or sensitive, bleeding gums, chances are you have potentially advanced stages of gum disease or tooth decay. One won't know unless he or she visits the dentist. Only a dentist will be able to adequately diagnose and treat teeth and gum ailments.
Until one sees the dentist, it is unlikely the nagging, debilitating pain and discomfort will go away.
Set a negative example for your kids. If you're a parent, and you refuse to go to the dentist yourself, chances are, your son or daughter will quickly become less than excited to visit the dentist as well.
Many of the fears of the dentist come from negative childhood experiences. Parents who introduce their children to the dentist at an early age and who stress the importance of regular dental visits will more likely have children (and later adults) who aren't afraid of the dentist.
Good, proper oral hygiene is important at any age, especially for children as their teeth and gums are developing. Children will experience the same risk of gum disease and tooth decay when they don't see their pediatric dentist every six months.
Children who develop tooth decay in their baby teeth can have the cavities spread to their incoming permanent teeth, meaning they will have dental health issues before adulthood.
A decreased quality of life. There is power in a smile. A smile can boost one's confidence and brighten his or her mood. People who smile often are happier, more successful in their careers, and are greater people to be around.
Patients who have neglected their oral health and who have lost their once beautiful smile because of it, are likely to be less happy and more self-conscious.
Fear of the dentist is very common and unfortunately, it is often the reason many patients don't visit the dentist and get the much-needed dental care and treatment they need.
While it is convenient to avoid the dentist, the reality is that one is putting their oral health at risk by doing so. Dental issues, pain and discomfort, and a lowered quality of life are often the results of not regularly seeing the dentist.
If it has been more than six months since your last dental appointment, it is important to do so now before the condition of your teeth and gums become worse.