The Importance of Having a Regular Dental Check-Up

“Did you know that the health of your mouth influences your general well-being and that a regular dental check-up can be useful for preventing problems?”

Many people think that going to the dentist is only necessary when they have some problem or pain, but the truth is that regular dental check-ups are essential to prevent and detect in time any alteration that may affect your smile and your health.

In this post we’ll tell you how periodic dental check-ups can help you to:

• Detect problems in time: how regular dental check-ups can prevent bigger complications.
• Keep a healthy smile: the benefits of the periodic dental check-up in preventing oral diseases.
• The importance of professional cleaning: how regular dental check-ups promote optimal oral hygiene.
• Save time and money: how regular dental check-ups can avoid costly and lengthy treatments.
• Promote general health: the relationship between oral health and general health and the importance of regular dental check-ups.

>>> This post may interest you: Orthodontic Treatment in Valencia: Aligners or Braces.

Detect problems in time: how regular dental check-ups can prevent bigger complications

Often we aren’t aware that we have a problem in our mouth until it hurts or bothers us. However, there are many conditions that can go unnoticed for a long time and that can have serious consequences if they aren’t treated in time.

For example, tooth decay is one of the most common diseases and one that can affect anyone, regardless of their age. If it isn’t detected and treated in time, tooth decay can cause the destruction of the tooth, the infection of the pulp (the nerve), the formation of abscesses, the loss of the tooth and even the spread of the infection to other parts of the body.

Another problem that can go unnoticed is periodontal disease, which affects the tissues that hold the teeth in place (gums and bone). This disease is caused by the build-up of bacteria and plaque on the surface of the teeth and the gums, and it can cause inflammation, bleeding, receding gums, mobility and loss of the teeth.

In addition, there are other alterations that can affect the health of our mouth, such as malocclusions (problems with the alignment of the teeth), fractures, cracks, trauma, stains, precancerous or cancerous lesions, etc.

>>> Read this post: How to look after your teeth after a tooth extraction?

For all these reasons, it’s very important to go to the dentist at least once a year for a complete dental check-up, which includes a clinical examination, an X-ray and a professional cleaning. That way, the dentist will be able to detect and treat any problem before it gets worse and more complicated.

Keep a healthy smile: the benefits of the regular dental check-up in preventing oral diseases

In addition to detecting problems in time, periodic dental check-ups also play an essential role in the prevention of oral diseases. And the thing is that, even if we have good oral hygiene at home, there are areas of our mouth that are hard to clean and that can build up food debris, bacteria and plaque.

This debris can cause the formation of tartar, which is a hard, yellowish layer that sticks to the teeth and that favours the development of cavities and periodontal disease. Tartar can only be removed with a professional cleaning carried out by the dentist or the dental hygienist, who uses special instruments to scrape and polish the teeth.

The professional cleaning also removes the surface stains that can affect the colour and the brightness of our smile, such as those caused by coffee, tea, tobacco, wine, etc. That way, we get a cleaner, healthier and more beautiful smile.

In addition, the periodic dental check-up also lets us receive personalised advice on how to improve our oral hygiene at home, what type of brush, paste, mouthwash or dental floss we should use, how to brush properly, what habits we should avoid, etc.

The importance of professional cleaning: how regular dental check-ups promote optimal oral hygiene

As we’ve seen, professional cleaning is an essential part of regular dental check-ups, as it helps us to remove the tartar, the stains and the bacteria that can damage our oral health. But, how often should we have a professional cleaning?

The frequency of the professional cleaning depends on several factors, such as the state of our mouth, our oral hygiene, our habits, our diet, etc. In general, it’s recommended to have a professional cleaning at least once a year, but in some cases it may be necessary to do it more often, for example, if we have a tendency to build up a lot of tartar, if we have periodontal disease, if we’re smokers, if we wear orthodontics, etc.

The dentist is the one who can best assess the need and the frequency of the professional cleaning in each case, so it’s important to go to the regular dental check-ups and follow their instructions.

Save time and money: how regular dental check-ups can avoid costly and lengthy treatments

Another advantage of regular dental check-ups is that they let us save time and money in the long run. And the thing is that, by preventing and detecting problems in time, we avoid having to undergo more complex, invasive, painful and costly treatments in the future.

“For example, if we detect a cavity at an early stage, we can treat it with a simple filling, which is a quick, simple and affordable procedure. But if we let the cavity advance, it can end up affecting the nerve of the tooth and require a root canal treatment (killing the nerve), which is longer, more complicated and more expensive. And if the cavity ends up destroying the tooth, it may be necessary to extract it and replace it with an implant, a denture or a bridge, which are much more expensive solutions and that involve more visits to the dentist”.

The same happens with periodontal disease, which if it isn’t treated in time can cause the loss of the teeth and the need to resort to prosthetic or implant solutions. Or with malocclusions, which if they aren’t corrected can cause bite problems, wear, fractures, pains, etc.

Therefore, investing in regular dental check-ups is a way of looking after our oral health and our finances, as we save ourselves bigger problems and more costly treatments.

Promote general health: the relationship between oral health and general health and the importance of regular dental check-ups

Last but not least, regular dental check-ups are also key to promoting our general health. And the thing is that the health of our mouth is intimately related to the health of our whole body, and vice versa.

Numerous studies have shown that oral diseases, such as tooth decay or periodontal disease, can increase the risk of suffering from other systemic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, kidney diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer, etc.

This is because the bacteria that cause the infections in our mouth can pass into the bloodstream and reach other parts of our body, causing inflammation, alteration of the immune system, damage to the organs, etc.

Likewise, some systemic diseases can affect the health of our mouth, such as diabetes, which makes healing difficult and increases the risk of infections, or osteoporosis, which weakens the bone and favours the loss of the teeth.

For all these reasons, it’s essential to maintain good oral health and go to the regular dental check-ups, as that way we contribute to preventing and improving our general health, since we stop the bacteria in our mouth from affecting other organs and systems.

In addition, by looking after our oral health and our smile, we also improve our self-esteem, our confidence and our quality of life, as we feel more confident and happy with ourselves and with others.

The regular dental check-up: an essential habit for your health

As you’ve been able to see, the regular dental check-up is an essential habit for your health, both oral and general. That’s why, at Clínica Dental Doctores Tarazona we encourage you to go to your trusted dentist at least once a year, or as often as they recommend, for a complete dental check-up and a professional cleaning.

At our clinic, we have a team of qualified and experienced professionals, who’ll offer you personalised and friendly care, and who’ll carry out a clinical examination, an X-ray (or even a Dental CT scan, as we’re one of the few clinics that have this technology, providing our doctors with the best tools to be able to give the best treatments and saving patients journeys and delays) and a professional cleaning with the highest guarantees of quality and safety.

In addition, if we detect any problem in your mouth, we’ll offer you the most suitable treatment to solve it, using the most advanced techniques and the best quality materials.

Don’t hesitate any longer and book your appointment today. We’re located in the Campanar neighbourhood, in Valencia, and we’re waiting for you with open doors and the best of our smiles.

Remember that the regular dental check-up is the best way to look after your health and your smile. We’re waiting for you! 😊