If you are trying to decide if it’s a good idea to visit the dentist now, let us put your mind at ease: our office is taking all necessary steps to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission. This makes the dentist’s office one of the safest places to visit at this time.
And there are many benefits of seeing your dentist that make it worth the trip. Here are five of the biggest benefits of even a regular dental visit, including a dental cleaning and checkup.
Remove Tartar Buildup
Your home hygiene routine is a critical part of maintaining your dental health. However, it can only do so much. And one of the things it can’t do is remove tartar. Tartar forms when plaque on your teeth absorbs minerals from your saliva, becoming like a rock on your teeth. Once it forms, brushing and flossing won’t remove tartar, and over time it can become very large deposits.
But the hygienist can remove tartar buildup as well as plaque from your teeth. Tartar increases your risk of tooth decay and gum disease, and can have some other effects we’ll talk about below, so removing it is very important for the health and beauty of your smile.
Peace of Mind
We know that it’s easy to develop worries about the health of your teeth. Was that dark spot always there? Why does my tooth hurt when I bite down? Are my gums swollen or receding? Without an expert opinion, these worries can grow and impact your quality of life.
A dental checkup can ease these worries. We will investigate each of your concerns, and, if they’re serious, we’ll find a solution. Otherwise, we’ll give you a clean bill of health and you can have one less thing to worry about–something we can all use these days!
Brighter Smile
As part of your regular checkup and professional cleaning, we’ll remove tartar and polish your teeth. Tartar can come in many different colors, but it’s usually a dingy yellow, and where it grows, it can make your smile look unhealthy. Plus, surface stains regularly build up on our teeth, despite good oral hygiene at home.
A professional cleaning will help make your smile look beautiful and bright. And if you want, we can send you home with a professional-strength whitening kit that will help you brighten your smile even more. (If this is a concern, let us know beforehand so we can schedule your appointment properly.)
Fresh Breath
Everybody has a little bad breath after a dinner heavy on the garlic and onions, but for some people the problem is constant. If wearing a mask reminds you just how bad your breath is all the time, we can help.
Chronic bad breath is caused by oral bacteria in the mouth that avoid oxygen and “breathe” sulfur instead. These bacteria like to shelter between your teeth, but they also find a great hiding place under tartar deposits. Removing tartar deposits means there are fewer of these hiding places, so you’ll have fresher breath.
Sometimes bad breath is a sign of health problems like gum disease or an infected tooth. If these are part of the problem, we’ll find them during your checkup.
Better Health
Getting your teeth cleaned doesn’t just help your oral health. Since your oral health and overall health are closely linked, getting regular dental checkups can help you avoid other serious health problems.
Chronic oral health problems create a constant strain on your immune system, which might make you more vulnerable to other infections. However, the main danger of poor oral health is the way it can increase your risk of major health conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, dementia, and even cancer. It’s especially important for people with diabetes to maintain good oral health to avoid complications such as retinopathy or neuropathy.
Contact a Columbia, SC Dentist
If you are overdue for a dental cleaning, it’s time to schedule one. Please call (803) 781-9090 today for an appointment with Columbia, SC dentist Dr. Adam Hahn at Smile Columbia Dentistry.
