Taking care of your oral health is an every day process. You need to brush your teeth at least twice throughout the day, after all, in order to prevent cavities and other issues from developing. In addition to this, flossing should be a part of everyone’s oral health regimen, as should the cleaning of one’s tongue. Many people think that this is enough, but that’s actually far from the case.
Visiting a dentist on a regular basis, however, is also incredibly important. In fact, everyone should visit a family dentist at least twice throughout the year, ideally once every six months. After all, professionals in the field of dentistry can simply provide a higher level of care than the average individual person would ever be able to do. A dentist can help to keep oral health problems from developing, but can also treat any existing problems in place, providing dental care that can actually improve the overall quality of your life as a whole.
For instance, untreated cavities can lower the overall enjoyment of life considerably in children and adults alike. And as many a dentist can attest to, a lack of care for cavities is far too prevalent all throughout the country as we know it. Dentists will recommend the prompt treatment of a cavity so that the problem does not worsen – or even spread to other teeth, which not all people even know is a possibility to begin with. Therefore, with more than 30% of younger adults and more than 18% of all children over the age of five living with at least one untreated cavity, the average dentist is stressing the incredible importance of regular dental care more now than ever before.
And there are even more serious problems that can develop with a lack of dental care. Oral cancer, for instance, is more common than many realize. For the populations that are at risk, regular inspection by a dentist can help to ensure that any cancers are caught before they ever have a chance to spread and become life threatening. Older people and heavy drinkers should be wary of various forms of oral cancer, as too should smokers and tobacco users. For many people, even just regular dental visits with a skilled dentist who can recognize the warning signs for such things can be key for living a longer life.
And gum disease will also be important to prevent as much as it is possible. Regular oral hygiene and dental care at the hands of a dentist can help to prevent this gum disease, as well as recognize it and stop it as it is beginning and in the very first stages. After all, only just over half of all people who have gum disease actually are aware that they have it – and can take steps to treat or even eradicate it. This can be due to the fact that the symptoms of gum disease are difficult to recognize for someone who is not a dentist or other such dental professional. If you are not receiving regular dental care, catching gum disease in its early stages (when it is most easily treated) is not likely to happen.
Starting your children off early in life is necessary as well. After all, baby teeth can first begin to come in at around an average of six months of age – and some babies even get them earlier. This means that dental care must commence earlier than most parents initially realize. Most dentists even actually recommend that babies see a dentist, likely a pediatric dentist, by the time that they reach their first birthday – and no later than their second. Teaching your children how to properly care for your teeth – and the importance of going to the dentist on a regular basis as well – is necessary for their overall health, and is most certainly something that will benefit them not just during their childhood years, but throughout the rest of their lives as well. For many people, regular dental care at the hands of a dentist can even keep them alive for longer than ever, as it can catch things like oral cancer.