Avoiding the dentist can cost you more money and cause more harm than you think years down the line. Here’s why it’s never a good idea to skip those regular visits with your oral healthcare professional.

Neglecting Your Oral Care Can Cost More in the Long Run

One of the major reasons patients report not visiting the dentist is finances [1]. However, neglecting to see your dentist at least once a year—ideally every six months—can majorly impact your finances in the long run.

Think about it. Your natural teeth haven’t cost you anything, but getting a cavity filled, attempting to reverse gum disease, or even replacing a missing tooth can get expensive, especially if you don’t have dental insurance. Taking care of your oral health now can prevent all of these issues, saving you money and your oral health!

People Who Avoid the Dentist Have Poorer Oral Health

People who avoid the dentist as the result of dental phobia have poorer oral health and an increased risk for cavities and missing teeth [2]. Having dental anxiety or dental phobia is treatable, and many dentists today are offering sedation dentistry options to help make their patients even more comfortable during their appointment.

In addition, most conditions that result from lack of proper oral care require numerous treatments to fix—think gum disease or replacing missing teeth. These numerous visits can not only increase anxiety, but result in more time and money spent.

It’s Possible You Have Tooth Decay or Gum Disease Already

Skipping the dentist means you don’t have anyone checking in on your smile every few months to ensure everything’s fine. Life gets in the way, and next thing you know, you have several cavities. Statistics show that 18 percent of children have untreated cavities, as well as 26 percent of adults [3].

It’s also estimated that over 47 percent of adults in the United States have untreated gum disease, so chances are your smile could be suffering and you’re not aware of it. Having a professional check your smile could catch these issues before it’s too late!

Get in Touch with Your Dentist

Every smile is different and your dentist can advise you how often you need to come in for checkups. If you have a history of tooth decay and gum disease, you may need to come in more often, whereas some patients can go six to twelve months without needing to be seen.

Isn’t it time you invested in your beautiful smile to prevent problems (and costly reparations) down the line? Contact your local dentist today to set up an appointment and take care of your teeth and gums!

Sources:
1.https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science%20and%20Research/HPI/Files/HPIBrief_111
2. https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2017.361
3. https://www.ada.org/en/science-research/health-policy-institute/dental-statistics/patients

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But what does an effective daily oral health routine look like? Is brushing and flossing all there is to it? The following pointers can help you compose the best oral health routine that’ll impress your dentist during your next checkup!

Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day

While brushing your teeth two times a day for two minutes isn’t news to anyone, the quality of your brushing should be adequate enough to prevent oral disease.

To do this, you’ll want to be sure to brush all surfaces of your teeth with a soft-bristled
toothbrush. Toothbrushes with stiff or hard bristles can damage gum tissue and tooth enamel, so go for soft and brush carefully, not aggressively.

Remember not to brush too soon after eating, as this can strip away tooth enamel. Tooth
enamel is porous and can become softer after eating, especially if you eat acidic foods such as sweets or citrus fruits. You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating to brush, although the American Dental Association advises a 60-minute wait [1].

Floss Once a Day

Flossing is often overlooked when it comes to oral care but so important. Since it’s impossible to reach all the surfaces of your teeth with a toothbrush, flossing helps to clean the surfaces in-between teeth to remove plaque and bacteria that can lead to tooth decay.

You should floss once every day, gently and carefully in-between every tooth. Being gentle can help minimize any injury to the gumline; you should never floss aggressively as this can hurt gum tissue and even contribute to gum recession.

Be sure to get in hard-to-reach places; just because you have trouble getting into an area with your floss isn’t an excuse to skip it!

Brush Your Tongue

Brushing your tongue is another component of oral care that many people neglect to do. Using a tongue scraper or your toothbrush can help remove bacteria from your tongue, especially those that cause bad breath [2].

You can purchase a separate tool for this practice such as a stiffer toothbrush or a tongue scraper. However, remember there’s no need to overdo it, a gentle scraping is all that’s needed to remove excess bacteria!

Eat Well

The role of diet in the health of your smile can’t be overstated. Be sure to eat nutrient-rich foods such as leafy greens and get enough vitamins and minerals to support healthy teeth, such as calcium.

It’s also important to minimize your intake of refined sugars. In particular, soft drinks have been shown to contribute significantly to tooth decay [3].

Schedule Those Checkups

Remember not to skip the dentist even if you do take good care of your teeth. Regular checkups can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease and professional cleanings can help complete your oral care routine by removing plaque from difficult places.

Do you have an effective daily oral health routine in place? By following the above guidelines, you can ensure your smile is strong and healthy for life!

Sources:
1. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/brushing-mistakes-slideshow
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633265/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2676420/

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We know that fluoride can help prevent tooth decay—but does it actually work to reverse cavities? Here’s what you need to know when it comes to fluoride’s abilities to return teeth to their normal state.

Fluoride Can Reverse Early Tooth Decay

Fluoride works by preventing the loss of essential nutrients from your tooth enamel. Largely composed of calcium, tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. However, it’s no match for acidic foods such as sugar that can quickly produce bacteria that actually eats away at the tooth enamel.

When it comes to fluoride, this element actually helps to prevent the loss of these minerals and works to replace them. Therefore, if you have a cavity in the very early stages—such as a white spot on your enamel that indicates a cavity is likely—fluoride can actually help to prevent the cavity from actually forming.

Fluoride Strengthens Tooth Enamel

Fluoride can support the body’s natural healing process—this includes your teeth! Your teeth can repair themselves, especially if the problem is caught early.

However, once a problem such as a cavity or gum disease has progressed, it’s harder to reverse. If you have an actual hole in your tooth enamel caused by decay, fluoride alone won’t be able to reverse the cavity, and you’ll need to seek treatment from your dentist to get the cavity filled.

If you catch your cavity early, fluoride treatments may be able to help prevent the cavity from worsening and stop harmful bacteria from damaging your teeth further.

Considering Fluoride Treatments

If you want to try and reverse your developing cavity with fluoride, it may be best to seek a fluoride treatment with your professional dentist.

This is a simple treatment in which your dentist will apply a fluoride solution on your teeth. Fluoride treatments help many people to avoid cavities and may be helpful in reversing your enamel damage to prevent decay and reverse early decay. Your dentist can let you know if your smile would benefit from a fluoride treatment and discuss the procedure with you during your appointment.

Are you worried that you have a cavity because of enamel damage? Don’t delay in seeking help from your dentist. With the application of fluoride, you may actually be able to reverse the cavity from damaging your tooth. However, remember that if your cavity has already progressed, your dentist will need to fill it. Ask your dentist about how fluoride can help your smile!

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Brushing your teeth is great, although unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to remove all the
plaque. Research shows that many people routinely miss certain areas of their teeth, and if
you’re not flossing or skip flossing regularly, you’re missing even more plaque. Built-up plaque
can turn into tartar over time.

Tartar is a hard substance that’s impossible to remove at home. Removing tartar and built-up
plaque regularly with professional teeth cleanings can help reduce your risk for cavities and
gum disease. Your dentist can talk with you about areas you’re missing during your visit to help
improve your brushing habits!

You May Be Predisposed to Oral Health Problems

Everything about us is the result of genes that we inherited from our parents. This is true for
tooth and gum health as well. You may be genetically predisposed to tooth decay and gum
disease, even if you brush and floss regularly. This is why it’s so important to visit your dentist
for cleanings. They can give you the extra help you need for preventative care when it comes to
your smile.

Some people also have a specific mouth structure that’s more difficult to clean than other
peoples’. This includes a smaller mouth with crowded or crooked teeth. These spaces are nearly
impossible to clean properly with home care, making a dentist visit every few months essential
to keeping plaque and tartar away.

Benefit from a Dental Exam

While you’re at the dentist getting your professional cleaning, your dentist can perform a
dental exam to assess your oral health. This includes an oral cancer screening, which should be
done annually starting at age 18, and other preventative measures. Your dentist can tell when a
cavity is in the works and together, you can put steps into place to prevent it.

Your dentist will also help you improve your home care habits to stop cavities and tooth decay.
Removing these bacteria regularly may help improve heart health by keeping bacteria out of
the bloodstream. Professional teeth cleanings also regularly remove surface stains on the teeth,
keeping your smile as bright as possible.

The verdict is in—cleaning your teeth daily is essential, but so are regular dentist visits with
professional teeth cleanings. This way, you have a 360 protection plan against harmful oral
diseases and cavities. To protect your teeth as much as possible, schedule a visit with your
dentist and keep up with your healthy brushing and flossing habits!

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Causes of Gum Recession

Gum recession could be happening for a variety of reasons, some of which could be out of your control. For example, genes largely determine your gum health, so if your parents have recessing gums, you could be at risk too! However, here are some things you could be doing to cause gum recession:

Brushing too hard. Brushing too hard is so damaging to your tooth’s enamel. You should always be using a soft-bristled toothbrush and brush gently. Hard brushing simply isn’t necessary to get that plaque off! Also, remember to floss gently as well.

Not seeking orthodontic treatment. If you have overcrowded teeth, this could influence gum recession.

Teeth grinding. Grinding your teeth can cause inflammation in your tooth’s root and fractures in your teeth. If you suspect you’re a grinder, get to the dentist as soon as possible to learn how you can stop doing this!

Injury or trauma. If you’ve had an injury or trauma to your mouth such as from an accident, this could cause gum recession.

Poor oral hygiene habits. Skip brushing on most days? Don’t remember the last time you flossed? Drink soda and alcohol frequently? You’re setting your mouth up for some serious problems in the future. Poor oral hygiene habits can lead to gum recession! Now that we know some of the things that can cause gum recession, let’s learn what we can do once it starts happening.

Treatment for Gum Recession

Treatment for gum recession will depend on the root cause of your gum recession. Like many other medical conditions, the earlier you catch it, the better. This is why it’s important to pay attention to the symptoms of gum recession and changes in your mouth. If hard brushing is found to be the culprit, you’ll simply need to adopt better brushing habits and switch to a softer toothbrush. It can take practice to learn to brush your teeth gently, especially if you’ve been brushing your teeth too aggressively for years!

If you’re grinding your teeth, you and your dentist can discuss how to prevent this habit and what you can do about it, such as wear a custom mouth guard while sleeping. If you have poor oral hygiene, your dentist may recommend a deep cleaning in order to help restore your gums’ health and encourage healing. If you have severe gum recession, you may need gum grafts.

Gum recession isn’t pleasant, but you can prevent damage by seeking orthodontic treatment if needed, brushing gently, and as always, getting regular checkups with your dentist. Your dentist can spot gum recession before it causes you unpleasant symptoms!

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