Regular Dentist Visits
Why Regular Visits to Your Dentist Are So Important
Even today, when we enjoy the benefit of the many advances that have transformed dentistry from an extra task for the barber, along with various other minor surgical activities, into an exacting science practised by intensively-trained healthcare professionals, the prospect of a visit to the dentist still remains a daunting one for many. To some extent, their reticence is quite understandable. The pain of an acute toothache can be excruciating and even the slightest physical contact with the affected tooth can make it worse. Consequently, having someone prodding around in one’s mouth with a blunt instrument tends to hold little appeal.
Paradoxically, most times, those who find themselves faced with this dilemma have only themselves to blame. There is every chance that, had they been more willing to undergo regular check-ups with their dentist, they would not now be experiencing the pain of a toothache and the fear of further discomfort that the prospect of receiving treatment may provoke. When it finally comes, of course, relief is a much-welcomed blessing. Nevertheless, prevention, as always, proves to be a far better option than the desperate search for a cure.
While one ought not to underestimate the value of a gleaming white smile, keeping your teeth and your mouth healthy is not only important for cosmetic reasons. In practice, the role played by your dentist in helping to maintain your general health can be every bit as important as that of your family doctor. For the average layperson, however, the potential impact of poor dental care may not be immediately obvious but it is certainly not without its consequences.
The many aspects of our modern diet have resulted in an increased risk of developing tooth decay and the bad breath that will often be a side-effect of it. However, poor oral health can also lead to some more serious problems that regular examinations by a dentist could easily prevent. While a tooth affected by decay can often still be saved with a timely filling, left untreated it may be beyond repair and require extraction leading to the added cost and inconvenience of a partial denture.
More seriously, though, there is a chance that such neglect could result in gum disease – a condition that carries some more serious health risks. Failure to treat this condition can markedly increase the risk of a heart attack or a stroke and has also been known to cause premature labour as well as interfering with the control of diabetes.
A check-up with a dentist at an Intercare clinic should take only minutes. It can be easily arranged online and could save a lot of problems.