4 Reasons To Visit A Dentist Even If You Don't See Anything Wrong

One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking they don't need to visit a dental office if their teeth look perfectly fine. Even if you don't see anything wrong with your teeth, it's wise to schedule at least occasional appointments for these four reasons.

Cleaning

No matter how good you are at cleaning your teeth, it's hard to compete with what the hygienist at your dental office can do. They have the tools and training needed to get into odd spots in and around each tooth.

For example, plaque build-up can happen under the gum line. This happens in the pocket between the tooth's enamel and the gums. Using consumer-grade tools at home, it's hard to fully clean these pockets. However, a hygienist can get into the pockets along with handling buildup that occurs between the teeth and even in the dimples of each tooth. Overall, you'll experience a much cleaner feeling and have better gum health.

Pain

Oral pain is always bad. People who experience it should contact their dentists right away. Even if you're looking at the area where the pain is, you may see nothing. However, that doesn't mean there isn't anything going on. Teeth can and do rot from the inside out. At the first sign of pain, you should contact the dental office and arrange an appointment. If the dentist suspects something is wrong, they'll schedule some X-rays and see if there are hidden issues.

Even if the pain isn't in the tooth, you could have trouble with your jaw. Also, some people experience pain following maxillofacial injuries.

Screening

Dentists can screen for a host of problems, and many of the problems aren't even things that intuitively seem dental. A dentist can perform an oral cancer screening. They also can check for gum disease. Likewise, they can look for signs of diabetes that first appear in the mouth.

Early Intervention

The average person isn't qualified to determine that there's nothing wrong with a tooth. Even if you know what to look for, you'll have a hard time checking for everything around the tooth when your best available tool is your bathroom mirror. Dentists have a better view of your mouth. Also, they can use X-rays and other scans to see deep inside the teeth. Early intervention is the key to addressing something like a tiny cavity before it becomes big enough to justify a root canal.

Contact a dentist for more information.