If you know you are overdue for a dental checkup, meaning it has been longer than six months since your last visit, we want to remind you how important it is to make time for regular dental checkups. To help motivate you, here are the top eight things regular dental checkups can help you avoid (although your dentist can always help if you are experiencing any of the following, whether you’ve been consistent with regular dental checkups or not):
- An infection (called an abscess) at the root of your tooth means a serious health issue is at hand!
- A loose adult tooth is reason to seek care because a healthy adult tooth is never loose.
- Swollen jaw with fever and a bad taste in your mouth and trouble swallowing means infection.
- Persistent sores or cankers in your mouth (because it is never normal when sores don’t heal!)
- Badly bleeding and aching gums that are a nuisance
- Persistent toothache (can turn into one of the more serious problems above if not treated promptly)
- Gum disease – up to one-third of the population is genetically pre-disposed to gum disease! Symptoms of gum disease include sensitive, inflamed gums and can lead to tooth and bone loss if left untreated.
- Cavities – variations in a particular gene (beta-defensin 1 or DEFB1 for short) can mean that your permanent teeth are at higher risk for cavities, even with good oral hygiene. If this is true for your family, dentists can put sealants on teeth or even prescribe special toothpaste or mouth rinse to help you fight being prone to cavities genetically.
If any of these reasons resonate with you as something of concern for you or one of your family members, then you’ll want to schedule a dental checkup with us at Northside Family Dental right away!