Maintaining excellent oral health habits, including brushing and flossing your teeth, is the first step to achieving a healthful smile for life. An important thing to note, however, is that standard at-home dental care is only half the battle, and actually hinges on routine checkups and cleanings to keep your grin at its best. In fact, toothaches or pain are not the only signifiers of threats to your smile. You should schedule a dental visit at least once every six months and have a trained dentist such as Dr. Stuart Dexter, Prosthodontist in Prairie Village, KS examine and identify any points of concern.
Increased Risk of Infection
While you may perform examinations at home to check and ensure everything is as it should be, the fact of the matter is, there are some warning signs that can be difficult or nearly impossible to identify on your own. For example, during your routine examination, your dentist will perform an oral cancer screening to make sure there are not any signs of tumor formation or infection. The dentist has the tools and resources needed to make an accurate assessment, and can do so much more easily than you would be able to at home. By attending your scheduled visit, you minimize the risks of potential infection going unnoticed as well as receive the opportunity to address the problem much earlier on.
Ignoring Warning Signs
Indication of discomfort or pain is not the only reason to attend a regular examination and cleaning. In fact, presence of aching and sensitivity can be indicative of a much bigger problem that might have been detected during your regular visit, such as a cavity, worn down or diminished enamel, decay and more. Like many diseases and situations, if something is allowed to progress further, it can become much more difficult to reverse or treat the longer you wait. By attending your visit, you are not only taking better care of your smile, but increasing your chances of bouncing back from potentially dangerous circumstances.
Damage You May Not Be Aware of
In addition to potential infection and disease that can occur, you may be enduring structural damage to your teeth that you are unaware of. Hard foods such as chips can easily get lodge between teeth or cause damage. Additionally, if you were to lightly chip or crack a tooth, that is another way harmful bacteria can infest an oral structure and cause decay. Contact our office today to learn more about how you could potentially save your smile by attending an office visit.
Schedule Your Routine Examination
Contact Dr. Stuart Dexter, Prosthodontist in Prairie Village, KS by calling 913-362-8200 to schedule your next examination and cleaning.