By Jennifer Leighfield • Published: 31 May 2021 • 12:50
It is important to visit the dentist on a regular basis
Your smile is such an important part of who you are, you should be proud to show it off and to keep healthy oral hygiene, you should visit your dentist every six months.
Having a healthy mouth and smile is important not just to your appearance and confidence, but also for your wellness.
To ensure the best oral hygiene and care, you should ideally visit your dentist every six months at least.
People who regularly visit the dentist for checkups are much less likely to have serious dental issues which require invasive treatment. With regular checkups, your teeth will remain strong and healthy and are likely to last you for the rest of your life.
Plus, if you do need any type of treatment your dentist will already have your records and will be able to recommend the best options for you.
What are the benefits of getting regular checkups?
Even the most careful of people can fail to properly clean parts of their mouth sometimes. Even if this happens, if you regularly visit the dentist, they will exam your mouth for problems and steps can quickly be taken to treat cavities and reverse the decay. Professional cleaning will remove plaque and tartar from the teeth and gums, preventing harmful bacteria.
It can be hard to detect gum disease in your own mouth but dentists are trained to spot it during checkups. They can then treat it and give patients tips on how to improve oral hygiene which will clear up gum disease.
Dentists will check for signs of illness in their patients’ mouths, including oral cancer, which if undetected, can be life-threatening. Oral cancer can be detected with special lights used to find dead tissue caused by tumours. Dentist should also check the head and neck of their patients for any lumps, swelling or other symptoms that something is not right. If they find something, they can then refer the patient to an appropriate healthcare professional.
Certain bad habits can have a negative impact on oral health, such as biting your nails, grinding your teeth, eating lots of sweets, drinking coffee and red wine, and smoking. A dentist can check for the effects of these bad habits and inform patients of how to prevent further damage as well as fixing the damage which is already done to help you have the best oral health possible.
Dentists can x-ray your teeth and jaw to find issues which are invisible to the naked eye, such as bone decay or tumours, so that they can be treated quickly.
Your dentist can give you advice on how to best look after your mouth between checkups. Good practices include regularly brushing your teeth (at least twice a day) with toothpaste that contains fluoride and flossing daily. Use mouthwash for a more thorough oral health routine as it helps to control plaque bacteria and keep your breath fresh.
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Jennifer Leighfield, born in Salisbury, UK; resident in Malaga, Spain since 1989. Degree in Translation and Interpreting in Spanish, French and English from Malaga University (2005), specialising in Crime, Forensic Medicine and Genetics. Published translations include three books by Richard Handscombe. Worked with Euro Weekly News since November 2006. Well-travelled throughout Spain and the rest of the world, fan of Harry Potter and most things ‘geek’.
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