Have you ever thought about why it’s necessary for you to go to the dentist regularly? Like brushing and flossing your teeth aren’t enough – well, those are not enough for you to maintain a healthy smile.
DentalHealthCareCenter.com shares that dental appointments are one of the most important things in your schedule. There are those, however, who are so stubborn or fearful of the dentist that they hold off visiting until they face a severe dental problem so painful, it disrupts their daily activities.
Adverse Effects of Missing Your Dental Appointments
When you keep forgetting – holding off – your scheduled dental appointment, you’re only allowing the bacteria in your mouth to set up camp, continue to grow, and develop into severe oral problems. Listed below are just some of the issues you might face:
Tooth decay is very common, especially if you have poor oral hygiene. Add that to missing dental appointments and you’re giving the bacteria a chance to eat away at the soft tissues in your mouth, which can cause gingivitis. If you still leave that untreated, knowing that it’s already causing you a bit of pain, it’ll start to develop pockets, which will eventually loosen the teeth and cause them to fall off.
Another problem that you’ll face is bad breath or halitosis. Consider this your worst nightmare because once you have this, you’ll have a hard time communicating with other people because of the smell coming from your mouth. The stench comes from the bacteria accumulated on your tongue, gums, and teeth.
Meanwhile, continuously exposing your mouth to varying temperatures causes your teeth to contract and expand, resulting in tooth sensitivity.
Losing More than Just Teeth
Tooth loss is surprisingly common in the United States. Ten percent of seniors have no more teeth to lose and the Kaiser Family Foundation says that the states where people usually skip their dental appointments have the highest number of seniors with missing teeth. Apart from teeth, you will lose money for the multiple treatments you need. This means no more splurging on holidays or even things that you usually spend on.
Remember, brushing and flossing are not surefire ways to keep your oral health in top shape. You still need to visit your dentist so they can check on the state of your oral health.