A recent study of the oral health habits of Americans has confirmed a frightening trend in dental appointment attendance. In statewide polling, anywhere between 24% and 47% of Americans (depending on the state they lived in) admitted to receiving no dental care, or even having a check up, at a dental office in the past year. While there are many factors that lend themselves to this poll (insurance, proximity to a dental office, etc.), it nonetheless shows a vast failure of Americans to take oral hygiene seriously.
A bi-annual visit to a dental office is a necessity that most Americans refuse to acknowledge, even if just for a teeth cleaning and a check up. Content to wait until a matter presses itself; Americans tend to not visit a general dentist until it is too late and a minor issue of maintenance becomes a complete dental overhaul. The following are a few symptoms or warning signs that should tell you that it’s time to visit the dentist.
Gums
Bleeding or recessive gums is a sure fire sign of periodontal disease. The reason why everyone harps on the value of flossing in that refraining from flossing causes vast amounts of bacteria to build in the spaces between teeth that a brush cannot reach. The bacterium literally eats away the gums and eventually the root of the tooth, damaging structural integrity as well as contributing to bad breath and an unhealthy smile. The difficulty is that if you are feeling sensitivity or gum bleeding, chances are you’re already experiencing periodontal disease; if you are not experiencing any explicit symptoms, it does not mean you’re safe from periodontal disease forming. Visit a general dentist now to get a head start on preventative maintenance or to stop periodontal disease from getting out of control.Absence
If it has been a long time since you’ve had a professional teeth cleaning, or any kind of visit to a dental clinic, you’re at a higher risk of serious disease. As implied above, many dental problems present little to zero detectable symptoms without a trained eye. A trained general dentist, however, can glance into a mouth and understand the eating, drinking, smoking, hygiene, and stress habits of a patient. You need that objective, bird’s-eye view of your oral health to see any oversights or shortcomings that your hygiene has; don’t miss out on keeping your healthy smile just because you don’t see anything wrong when you look into a mirror, yet.Trauma
The balance of teeth is fairly delicate. The smallest trauma or knock can throw it all out of whack. If you’ve recently lost a tooth, pinched a nerve, or chipped a tooth, it should be time to schedule at least a checkup at a dental clinic. A chip can lay bare sensitive nerves and make you more susceptible to threatening infections. Also, any soreness or fever symptoms should immediately be checked with a dentist. An infection induced by trauma can be fatal in extreme cases, it’s best to not leave these things to chance.Fear
If you’re afraid of the dentist; you need to go to the dentist. This seems pushy, but a recent study notes that 20% of Americans feel enough anxiety from a dentist’s office to forgo treatment until a problem presents itself, but as stated above, a lack of symptoms is by no means an indication that your smile is healthy. The phobia is so intense that 5-8% of Americans actively avoid a general dentist out of fear alone.There are so many reasons to go to the dentist, and so many ways that dental care is available, that there is little reason to avoid a routine teeth cleaning at the very least. Do not let a simple fix snowball into a health catastrophe; schedule an appointment with a general dentist today.
Article by Mary Dresway: Google+
