Skipping Your Dental Check-Ups? 5 Reasons You Shouldn’t
Are you tempted to skip your next dental appointment? While dental visits can feel like a chore, they are important for avoiding costly and painful dental problems in the future. This article explains the importance of comprehensive dental exams in Los Gatos.
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Comprehensive dentistry, also known as family dentistry, is important for oral and physical health. It involves the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of various dental problems, including tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Family dentistry can help you maintain good oral health in the long term by identifying and treating dental problems early on. This can help you avoid developing more serious issues that require more extensive and costly treatments. Additionally, comprehensive family dentistry can help you achieve a beautiful and functional smile that boosts your confidence and overall quality of life.
Continue reading to learn the five biggest benefits of comprehensive dentistry and where to find the best comprehensive dentists in Los Gatos.
Why Are Comprehensive Dental Check-Ups So Important?
One of the most common questions we get asked at Smiles Los Gatos is, “Why do I need to see the dentist twice a year?” Bi-annual dental exams are considered the gold standard for comprehensive dentistry. Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t skip your comprehensive dental check-ups:
1. Regular Exams Help Prevent Severe Dental Problems
During your dental exams, your dentist will evaluate your overall oral health, screen you for potential dental issues, and provide preventive care recommendations to help you maintain good oral health.
One of the primary benefits of regular dental exams is that they allow your dentist to catch potential problems early. This includes issues like:
Cavities
Gum disease
Oral cancer
Orthodontic concerns
By catching these issues early, treatment is more likely to be less costly, less painful, and more successful. In addition to catching potential problems early, your regular dental exams allow you to get preventive care, such as professional cleanings, fluoride treatments, guidance on proper oral hygiene practices, and other preventive measures that can help keep teeth and gums healthy.
If you have any signs of teeth grinding — also known as bruxism, an unconscious habit that can occur in your sleep during deep concentration, or when you’re stressed — your dentist will be able to help you take steps to prevent damage to your teeth.
2. Professional Teeth Cleaning Keep Your Smile Bright
During a dental cleaning, a dental hygienist will use special tools to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth. They will also polish your teeth to remove any surface stains and leave them feeling clean. Getting your teeth cleaned can also help prevent cavities and gingivitis. You should have professional teeth cleanings at least twice a year or more often if you have a history of dry mouth, gum disease, or other oral health problems.
3. Periodontal Services Keep Your Gums Healthy
Periodontal services are designed to prevent, diagnose, and treat conditions that affect the gums. Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, can lead to tooth erosion, receding gums, bad breath (halitosis), tooth sensitivity, and even other serious health issues, like heart problems. So, it is important to maintain healthy gums through regular dental checkups and cleanings when necessary. This allows your dentist to examine your gums for signs of trouble and recommend appropriate treatment before serious problems take over.
4. Endodontic Treatments Prevent Tooth Loss
A root canal is a common endodontic treatment that involves removing infected or damaged pulp from a tooth's root canal. This procedure saves a tooth from needing to be pulled and alleviates the pain of root infections — an infection that occurs under the tooth.
Other common endodontic treatments include an apicoectomy, which involves removing the tip of the tooth's root, and a pulpotomy, which is a partial removal of the pulp in a baby's tooth to treat decay. When it comes to endodontics, time is of the essence. Not only for pain relief but also to save your natural tooth and avoid having a tooth extrication.
5. Tooth Extractions Relieve Pain When Tooth Decay Is Severe
Tooth extractions involve removing a tooth from its socket in the jawbone. This may be necessary for a variety of reasons, such as severe decay, gum disease, or unrepairable trauma to the tooth, gum, or jawbone. Many tooth extractions are due to severe tooth decay, which can be prevented with regular dental visits and daily brushing and flossing.
While keeping a bright smile is always important, saving yourself costly and painful dental problems in the future is another great reason not to skip your comprehensive dental visits. With regular exams, your dentist will be able to take care of small problems before they become big problems.
Where to Find the Best Comprehensive Family Dentist in Los Gatos
When it comes to comprehensive dentistry, it's important to pick a dentist who is knowledgeable and makes you feel relaxed. At Smiles Los Gatos, our entire team is dedicated to an all-inclusive approach to dentistry that focuses on the patient's overall well-being rather than just treating individual dental issues.
In addition to providing comfort-orientated comprehensive dentistry, we work closely with community medical doctors to provide complementary care. This ensures you get customized treatment plans that meet your dental goals, keep your teeth and gums healthy, and help you achieve or maintain physical health.
Ready to get the best comprehensive dental care in Los Gatos in a comfortable, caring, and modern environment?
