Eight reasons why a dental check up is vital for you

Going to the dentist isn’t exactly the most enjoyable activity, especially when we know it’s time for a filling or injection, but we often underestimate how important it is to maintain good oral health. As well as maintaining a healthy diet rich in calcium, brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day, regular check-ups help to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible. If you’ve been putting off that appointment for a while, fear not as here are eight reasons to organise one as soon as possible. That way you’ll be able to check up on your own oral health and get that gleaming, healthy smile.

1. A massive 90 per cent of body conditions such as diabetes and heart disease have their origins in oral health – so your oral health could give signals about your body health and vice versa.

2. As we get older, teeth become more brittle and prone to cracking and less saliva is produced, so it’s extra important to keep track of what’s going on with your teeth.

3. Getting any treatment you might need earlier means faster, less costly treatment as far as dollars and time are concerned.

4. It helps you to keep your teeth for longer and avoid those dreaded dentures – three in ten adults has untreated tooth decay and one in seven has had toothache in the last yeari according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

5. Regular cleans help to give you a brighter and lighter smile as a deep professional clean removes stains that come with coffee, tea, wine and more.

6. Certain prescription and over-the-counter medications can lead to dry mouth (also known as xerostomia), which makes it harder to produce saliva. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns about your medications’ side-effects

7. You could boost your fresh breath confidence – halitosis (bad bread) can be caused by tiny bits of food trapped in your teeth and mouth. Plaque bacteria feed on this and the foul smelling gas that’s released is the result. A thorough clean – and treatment of the gums if you need it – can help to banish bad breath and keep your gums healthy.

8. If you suffer from arthritis or a similar condition, it can be harder to reach tricky spots when brushing and flossing, so going to the dentist will give you a proper clean.

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