How to Avoid Time in the Dentist’s Chair
Many people dread visiting the dentist, often postponing appointments or skipping them altogether. While it might seem like a way to save time and money, avoiding regular check-ups can lead to bigger problems down the road. If you want to reduce your chance of costly and extensive treatments, routine professional care from our West Columbus, OH, dentist is recommended.
Here’s why and timely treatments are the perfect complement to your at-home care routine.
What Happens If You Don’t Go to the Dentist?
Skipping out on dental visits every 6 months can have serious consequences for your oral health. One of the most significant risks is the potential for undetected decay, gum disease, and other complications to develop into more severe problems. Check-ups twice a year include thorough oral exams, professional teeth cleanings, and X-rays, which are crucial for identifying issues that might not be visible or symptomatic yet.
For example, can often be caught during these visits, allowing for prompt treatment like dental fillings before anything escalates into a painful and costly condition.
Learn More → Benefits of Regular Dental Visits
Additionally, visiting the dentist includes the opportunity for oral cancer screenings, which are vital for detecting any unusual changes in the mouth that could indicate the onset of cancer. By maintaining consistent dental appointments, you not only keep your teeth and gums clean but also safeguard your overall health, keeping the risk of severe complications and the need for more invasive procedures low.
Help Prevent Oral Health Problems By:
Seeing Our Dentist Every 6 Months
There are many people who don’t like the dentist and yet, take such little care of their oral health that they end up having to make frequent trips to the dentist to repair damage to their teeth.
To avoid prolonged visits to our Hilliard, OH, dental office, make sure you have an appointment scheduled every 6 months where you receive a teeth cleaning, oral exam, and possibly fluoride application. By routinely visiting our dentist, you’ll learn about problems that may have otherwise gone unnoticed before they’re serious and cause damage.
Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day
It’s important you brush your teeth twice a day to remove plaque. For the best results, brush for 2 minutes with a soft-bristled toothbrush. You don’t have to brush very hard. In fact, doing this can make your teeth more sensitive to hot and cold foods. Instead, use gentle circular motions as you clean around each tooth.
Floss Your Teeth Once a Day
Plaque likes to hide where toothbrush bristles can’t reach. This is why it’s important you floss your teeth at least once a day, ideally before bedtime. That way, you’ll be able to remove plaque and food particles trapped in the tiny spaces between your teeth.
Drink Fluoridated Water
Enamel is the white outer layer of your tooth that protects the more sensitive layer of dentin beneath. For this reason, it’s important that you make sure your enamel doesn’t lose minerals over time. Drinking fluoridated water is a great way to strengthen your tooth enamel, increasing its resistance to cavities over time. In fact, communities with fluoridated water supplies tend to have lower rates of tooth decay.
Avoid or Limit Foods That Are High in Sugar
Do you like eating donuts, chocolate, and other sugary foods? If so, you’re not alone. The dental plaque that lives inside your mouth LOVES sugar. Plaque is an invisible film of bacteria that sticks to your teeth and gums. As plaque consumes sugar, it produces an acid that erodes away your natural tooth structure.
If left untreated, plaque buildup leads to tooth decay and gum disease. This is why we recommend seeing our dentist every 6 months for routine teeth cleanings. Over time, plaque hardens into what we call tartar. While you can remove plaque at home, only a dental professional can remove tartar with special tools.
Schedule a Teeth Cleaning Today
Our dentist serving Columbus, OH, offers preventive dental care to patients of all ages. Request an appointment by calling Gibson Dental today at (614) 878-9562. We’re your gateway to total health and wellness!
This blog post has been updated.