Modern dentistry is all about keeping your teeth tip top by preventing issues from gaining a foothold, rather than the Dark Ages when you only went to see a dentist if a problem had become so serious you were almost climbing the walls in pain and needed teeth removed.
While Bow Lane Dental offers convenient emergency dentist services at our London practice and a number of solutions like dental implants in London to restore your smile after you’ve damaged or lost teeth, we certainly don’t want to see our patients in such dire straits if it can all too easily be avoided!
Why it’s so important to visit your dentist regularly
Your bi-annual dentist check-up and hygienist clean is vitally important for these reasons:
- Your dentist is trained to spot a range of oral issues, from cavities needing white fillings before major work is needed, to checking for mouth cancer and monitoring your gum health (infected gums cause a host of health problems in addition to eventually losing their ability to hold your teeth firmly in place, and once they recede they cannot be restored to normal again).
- Your hygienist is also essential because they effectively remove plaque (the harmful bacteria that is generated daily) from places your toothbrush can’t reach. What’s more, plaque hardens into stubborn tartar if left to its own devices, and this needs to be scraped away using a special tool. The process is called scaling and it’s a must if you want healthy teeth into your old age.
Also, to keep your teeth white, you’ll also want to have your dentist do a whitening treatment twice a year if you smoke or drink lots of red wine and coffee. There are a number of options to get the job done, with one of the most effective treatments being laser tooth whitening – this method unlocks pores in your teeth to remove stubborn stains and allows for greater absorption of the whitening solution.
Why you may need to see your dentist more often than Bi-Annually
It’s important to bear in mind that each person is unique. The frequency of your recall depends on:
- Genetics
- Diet
- Amount of dental work already in your mouth
- Your level of oral hygiene
You may be used to sailing through your dental check-up and hygienist clean twice a year, but circumstances can change and you may be in need of more frequent visits without realising it.
If you tick any of the following boxes, you run the risk of oral health issues cropping up so you’ll want to visit your dental practice more often to keep your teeth and gums in good health. Let your dentist know if any of these criteria apply to you so they can be extra vigilant and prescribe a treatment program to make sure things don’t get out of hand:
- I smoke;
- I have a family history of gum weakness or disease;
- I’m diabetic;
- I have a sweet tooth and eat lots of sugary foods;
- I’m pregnant;
- I’m on medication that gives me a dry mouth;
- I tend to have a weak immune system;
- My teeth are prone to getting cavities or plaque build-up;
- I don’t have time to brush my teeth thoroughly twice a day for at least two minutes.
- Also bear in mind that as we get older our bodies become less robust, meaning we’re not as easily able to fight off harmful bacteria (plaque) and keep infection at bay.
Conclusion
Because we’re each unique and have changing circumstances, it’s absolutely vital that you never miss your bi-annual check-up – this will allow your dentist and hygienist to flag any issues and prescribe more frequent treatments if needed to nip problems in the bud. And if you fit any of the above risk scenarios, it’s even more important to visit your dentist more often so we can keep you safeguarded.
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