One of the most common phrases that we think to ourselves is “That’ll never happen to me.” Well, guess what, the 30% of people over the age of 65 with no natural teeth left probably thought the same thing. Statistically, nearly 100% of adults suffer from your typical tooth cavity but that lack of proper care doesn’t just cause cavities. It can lead to gum disease, tooth loss, infections, or even cancer. If you still don’t think you need bi-yearly trips to the dentist, here are three reasons that might convince you:
Oral Cancer
Yes, you did see the C-word mentioned up above, and yes, it is a risk, one that will only be detected if you keep up with your dentist appointments. This is a very serious disease that can easily go undiagnosed but with its fast progression, it can become life-threatening. Luckily, if you make sure to see your dentist, early stages are easily treated and you don’t need to worry about your dentist missing the signs. Above anything else, this is one of the main things they are trained to detect.
But just because it is a risk, that doesn’t mean you should now be paranoid that every time you get a toothache, it’s cancer. The prevalence is typically higher in males than females but across all countries, every 1 out of 10,000 people have it. Just remember, for everyone diagnosed, they probably had the same thought that it would never be them.
Gum Disease
If you thought that they only thing you were risking by not brushing was the odd cavity, then think again. A buildup of tartar and plaque doesn’t just work at your teeth but your gums too. The accumulation can cause an infection in your gums that causes them to pull away from your tooth. The infection moves up along your tooth to where it attaches to your gums and once it starts to eat away at your tooth, the infection, gingivitis, has officially progressed to gum disease. As it breaks down your gum tissue, you will experience swelling and bleeding of your gums that can eventually lead to tooth loss.
Treatment of gum disease can be pricey and often leads to surgery, deep cleaning, and medication. Up to 40% of adults get gingivitis during their lifetime and in nearly 20% it leads to severe gum disease. The best prevention is visiting your dentist.
Other Problems Under the Surface
One of the biggest perks about your dental appointments are the X-Rays. While it may not be a perk for you, it is the best way to detect anything going wrong with your health, and not just in your mouth but all over your head. These x-rays will detect things like bone decay in your teeth, swelling, and tumors as well as damage to your jawbone. It can find infection in your bones from a broken tooth or a root canal or if there are teeth that are unable to surface through your gums, a common problem with wisdom teeth. Any sort of decay or damage to your teeth or your jawbone can easily progress to being a more serious matter and those bi-yearly trips to the dentist and the x-rays they provide are the only way that these types of problems can be detected before they become dangerous.
So, are you convinced?
Contact us!
If you want to know more about dental implants, you can reach our Friendly Dental of Worcester office at (508) 791-4000, Unique Dental of Worcester office at (508) 753-5488, Taunton Dental Center office at (508) 822-1281, or Uxbridge Family Dental office at (508) 278-2015.
