Why is Going to the Dentist Important?

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Visiting the dentist is an integral part of life to ensure not only the health of the mouth, but also the health of the body. As of 2020, only 63 percent of adults aged 18 or over had visited the dentist in the past year, while it’s commonly recommended to visit the dentist for a regular visit and cleaning twice a year (every six months).

Dental checkups are routine visits to a dentist’s office where a thorough cleaning is performed on the teeth; a full examination of the teeth, mouth, and gums is conducted; X-rays could be done; recommendations are made for improving oral hygiene; and questions and concerns can be addressed. By visiting the dentist for these semi-annual checkups, your teeth, mouth, and gums will be cleaner and healthier — and potential problems can be detected and monitored.

The team at a dentist’s office — from the dental assistants to the dental hygienists to the

dentist — have been trained to not only clean teeth, but also look for things like oral cancer, gingivitis, gum disease, periodontitis, and much more. Visiting the dentist regularly for checkups is important to help prevent the need for frequent

dental treatments — things like root canals, tooth extractions, and cavity fillings — and can help identify any dental problems and/or oral health issues that patients might not notice on their own. In fact, 90% of system diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, have connections to oral health, so it’s important to visit the dentist to not only keep teeth healthy, but to ensure the entire body is cared and looked after.

Sources: Oral Health Foundation, CDC, Colgate, WebMD