It's about time for another trip to the dentist

Many people don't like going to the dentist. They consider it inconvenient, unnecessary, or just too plain awkward and uncomfortable having a total stranger dig around inside your mouth with cold and scary-looking instruments. Some people even develop phobias as a result. However, regular visits to the dentist can have many benefits that ultimately make braving the chair more worth it than you think. Here's why you should see your friendly neighbourhood dental office at least once every six months. 

1. Prevention is always the best cure

The average dental examination focuses on your teeth and gums and checks for potential tooth decay or gum-related diseases. A common enemy of cleanliness, tartar, the simple name for a build up of mineralised plaque, can be a nightmare to remove from your teeth once you've got it. Likewise, faulty or poorly positioned teeth can be prevented from getting worse with the help of braces or similar implements. A dental check-up will let you know if you're brushing and flossing enough, and usually involves a quick clean up to make sure you're good to go again. Like with any traditional illness, prevention is always more favourable than complicated or drawn out cures. Check-ups also act as a temporary boost of peace of mind as the dentist will be able to identify other conditions or irregularities to be fixed or prevented. 

2. Early detection can prevent complications and even save your life

The sooner problems are detected, the easier and quicker it is to combat them. With conditions like gum disease, early manifestations can usually be mitigated and pushed back using professional scaling or cleaning, while advanced gum disease requires costly surgery. More serious mouth-related illnesses such as oral cancer need to be detected early so they can be stopped before spreading further, thereby increasing the likelihood of survival and overall quality of life post-treatment. Similarly, initially simple issues like decayed teeth can cause complications if left untended for too long. Preventing bacterial infections and painful abscesses should be worth the occasional visit to the dentist.  

3. It'll save you money

Especially true regarding complicated and late-stage oral diseases, dental procedures can be expensive. By nipping an issue in the bud before it has a chance to expand you save yourself a lot of money on treatment. Regularly brushing your teeth, flossing and having the results checked by a professional is far less of a headache than watching your hard earned money dwindle because you couldn't be bothered.

Going to the dentist doesn't have to be a scary or irritating experience. Dentists know what they're doing and their expertise lie in keeping you healthy and happy in your everyday life. The comfort of clean teeth and gums is something we shouldn't take for granted.