Regular medical check-up is important in every age, and this also applies to dental visits. Everybody knows that these visits are very important in order to maintain the health of our dental hygiene and to prevent serious problems. Unfortunately, most people only schedule an appointment with their dentists, when there is a problem.
How often is a dental check-up needed?
If no other problem occurs, such as swelling, inflammation, an annual or yearly check-up is still advised. Any illnesses – including oral and dental illnesses – can be prevented with regular visits. Between these visits it is highly advised to clean your gums and teeth appropriately. If any problem occurs, visit your dentist immediately!
How do these check-ups go?
Usually, these visits start with a general check-up, meaning that the patients may get a panoramic x-ray, and the doctor will check their mouth and teeth. With these steps, the doctor can see if any intervention is needed. They will check the teeth, the gums, the jaw and the neck area, looking for any lesion. The doctor might check the cheeks, the bite and the movement of the lower jawbone. After this comes the cleaning of the teeth. If no intervention is necessary, this is the end of the story, until the next visit.
What happens when you miss regular check-ups?
Here, at Evergreen Dental, we have a warranty period for every treatment (except root canal treatment), and one of the warranty conditions is to come back every year for an annual check-up. By not doing so, you can lose your warranty.
In addition to this, you could also suffer physical consequences. Any illnesses that are recognized too late are more difficult to treat, an untreated tooth problem can lead to permanent damage.
One of these illnesses is gingivitis, or the inflammation of the gums. In severe cases, if left untreated, gingivitis can lead to tooth loss.
Another problem is tooth decay. This can lead to the “death” of the tooth and is irreversible. Its treatment is also much more complex than that of a decaying tooth. In these cases, root canal treatment and fillings are our last-case scenario. In case of tooth loss, implants can also be a solution.
What to do to prevent these problems?
Aside from the regular dental check-up, it is very important to clean our teeth, gums and our whole oral cavity. And remember: in case you experience any problem, visit your dentist immediately.