If there is one secret to keeping your teeth healthy, it is regular preventative checkups with your dentist. Only about 30% of the population visits their dentist for preventative treatment, which is low considering the benefits of staying on top of your dental health.
For instance, when caught early cavities can be treated before they cause an infection and require a root canal. Gum disease can also be treated and even reversed in the early stages. Whereas more advanced gum disease may lead to periodontal disease, which can cause gum recession, sensitive teeth and tooth loss.
If that’s not enough to convince you to make preventative dental care a priority, below are three reasons you should consider it.
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1. Preventative care is 10 times less expensive than emergency dental care
Many people avoid the dentist because they do not have dental insurance. They believe that the out-of-pocket cost is too great and they cannot afford regular dental care. However, regular cleanings – which are suggested twice a year – cost less than $200 out of pocket. This is less than the cost of most insurance premiums for the year.
When someone comes into our office experiencing pain, the price tag is much higher to treat their problem. Emergency dental care can cost upwards of $10,000 and if you do not have dental insurance, it will also be an out-of-pocket expense. Two-hundred dollars seems a small price to pay when you consider the alternative.
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2. Not all dental issues cause pain
I often run into people who tell me they haven’t been to the dentist in years and that they are fine because they don’t have any pain. Yet, many dental issues do not cause pain. The idea that cavities cause pain and sensitivity is a myth. By the time a cavity is causing you pain, it has likely reached the nerve of the tooth and can cause serious and irreversible damage.
Cavities, tooth infections, periodontitis and other serious dental issues can be caught early and treated before they progress and cause pain. The only way to identify issues early, however, is to visit your dentist on a regular basis.
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3. Preventative care is the best way to get ahead of problems
The purpose of regular preventative dental care is to stay two-steps ahead of a problem. Dental health is very predictable and comes down to simple cause and effect relationships. If you have a diet high in sugars and do not brush or floss regularly, you will get cavities. It’s as simple as that.
A good dentist will be able to identify your risks based on your genetics, family history and dental history, and help you work to improve your dental health before an issue arises. Early diagnoses mean early treatment, which is much more predictable and much less expensive than the alternative.
If you are reading this and it’s been 10 years since you visited a dentist, please know that it is not too late for you. The fear of the unknown can be crippling, but your issues will not go away or heal themselves. If you live in the Tampa area, call 813-689-4226 to schedule a checkup with Larry Saylor Dentistry today. After treating the most pressing issues, you too can get on a preventative care schedule and reap the benefits of preventative dental care.
To schedule a preventative care appointment, call our dentist office today.
