You might be a pro at remembering to brush and floss your teeth every single day. That’s great, but it isn’t all you need to do to be sure that your oral health stays in good shape. You also need to see your dentist every six months for a regular checkup and cleaning. It might be scary, but the risks of skipping your appointments can get a lot scarier down the road. Let’s look at 4 bad things that can happen if you avoid seeing your dentist in Fort Lauderdale.
1. Gum Disease
When you go without brushing or flossing for even a day, plaque can build up along your teeth and gums. Eventually it can harden into a substance called tartar that can cause gum disease. Plaque can be kept at bay with regular brushing and flossing, but only your dental hygienist can remove tartar. By skipping your dental appointment, you are significantly more likely to get gum disease, which has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and more.
2. Stained Teeth
In addition to cleaning tartar from your teeth, your hygienist will also apply a whitening paste to your teeth that gets rid of surface stains from smoking or drinking too much coffee or red wine. Sure, you could try whitening kits from the drugstore, but your dentist offers treatment that works much better than anything you can find elsewhere.
3. Toothaches
When you first get a cavity, it doesn’t usually hurt. However, as much as we would like them to, cavities don’t get better on their own. In fact, they actually get worse when you go without treatment. They can eventually spread to the inner layer of the tooth and cause severe pain. You could always take strong and stronger painkillers if you want to put off seeing your dentist, but wouldn’t you rather get to the root of the problem, so you don’t have to take so much medication?
4. Tooth Loss
No one wants to lose their teeth, but unfortunately, it’s what can happen if you go too long without seeing your dentist. The most common reasons people lose their teeth are from serious gum disease and tooth decay. Both of these problems cause pain in your mouth while they can still be treated. This is why if you have dental pain, you absolutely should not ignore it. If you lose your teeth, you’ll have to get dentures or dental implants, which means visiting your dentist anyway!
A lot of people are scared of seeing their dentist regularly. If that sounds like you, call your dentist and ask how they can make your visit as comfortable as possible.
About the Author
A Florida native, Dr. Alan Kellner earned his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia. After that, he completed his residency at the State University of New York in Stonybrook. Following his father’s footsteps, Dr. Kellner returned to Florida and now takes great pride in providing top-tier dental care to his patients in Fort Lauderdale. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kellner, you can contact his staff through his website.