Like many things, when you’re not suffering from any obvious dental problems, it’s easy to forget about different aspects of upkeep required to keep your smile in optimal health. However, when a cavity makes an appearance, you may find that you snap into action, quickly determining what you can do to solve the problem and how you can keep it from ever happening again. While tooth decay is one potential side effect of becoming lax with your preventive dentistry habits, a variety of other issues may present themselves. By learning more about the risk factors involved in skipping cleanings and checkups, you may find the motivation you need to see us once every six months for a visit.
You May End Up Requiring Restorative Treatment
Preventive dentistry offers an exceptional amount of protection to your smile. Here’s how you should think of it: Clean teeth and gums are typically not going to develop cavities or inflammation on their own. The culprit in tooth decay and periodontal disease is plaque. This is a very sticky substance full of bacteria. Plaque binds itself to your teeth every day. If you remove the plaque with brushing, flossing, and consistent dental cleanings, you’re doing everything you can to avoid oral disease. If you neglect your preventive solutions, you may find that plaque leads to the aforementioned problems, which may require restorative treatments (such as dental fillings, periodontal treatment, or root canal treatment).
You Could Lose A Tooth
Now imagine you have been extremely laid back with your preventive dentistry habits. So much so that cavities have formed in your teeth. Unfortunately, those cavities will continue to grow, becoming larger and deeper. Severe tooth decay leaves your tooth susceptible to infection. Your tooth is also likely to break. For patients who maintain preventive visits and see us for checkups, we can identify the cavity and treat it early. For those who do not, infection or severe damage may surpass restorative solutions, which will result in a need for an extraction. Stick to prevention – it’s well worth the effort.
ABOUT YOUR LIVONIA, MI DENTIST:
James Stewart, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule a consultation, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.