subject: Why Visiting Your Dentist Is Important For Maintaining Oral Health [print this page] When you visit the dentist, it is his or her job to examine the overall condition of your oral health, and to remove the dangerous tartar and decay that may eventually harm your healthy teeth and gums. However, if you do not allow them to perform this task correctly, or impede their assessment, you will only cause yourself more trouble in the long run.
There are three groups of people with distinct attitudes when it comes to visiting their dentist. The first are those who genuinely care for their teeth and gums, cleaning and flossing at home, and scheduling regular appointments for examinations and cleanings. They understand the importance of regular, professional treatment. These people are easy for dentists to treat, because most of the work is already done for them.
The second group may desire healthy teeth, but avoid going to the dentist because they are afraid of the pain and discomfort of having the procedures done. They may have had a bad experience with a previous professional, or had a particularly painful procedure, and are not anxious to repeat the ordeal in the future. However, lack of dental attention can lead to serious issues such as cavities and gum disease, as only a trained healthcare provider will be able to spot such issues and correct them.
The third section honestly believes that they can trick the dentist by quickly attempting to cover up or improve the condition of their teeth before their scheduled visit. Instead of maintaining their teeth through traditional care procedures, these men and women opt for cosmetic dentistry. Procedures such as bleaching may temporarily improve the look of teeth, but it does not help underlying issues such as decay. In fact, many people are more concerned with scheduling bleaching appointments than actual visits to their doctor.
Some people may increase their oral hygiene at home using various products purchased over the counter at the store. While such measures are a good first step for maintaining oral health, it will not replace visits to an oral healthcare professional. Dentists are trained to identify and prevent serious problems with your teeth and gums that an untrained eye cannot. They also have the tools necessary to eradicate these problems, to keep them from becoming a problem again in the future. Therefore, if you are truly concerned with maintaining your oral health, you need to schedule regular appointments with your dentist.
