The fall season has people feeling nice. It’s hard to not like that pumpkin and spice. Also, it’s a perfect time to go for an oral health check-up. (Image Credit: Racool_studio/Freepik)
But during a season filled with festivities and tasty treats, now is a great time to ensure a dazzling smile.
Many people were forced to hold off on their regular visits to the dentist because of the COVID pandemic. That left many people overdue for teeth cleaning and checkup.
But the fall season may be the perfect time to hedge your oral health bets.
Why this Fall Season is Best for Oral Health
Dental practices now have proper safety precautions in place to cope with the pandemic. The fall season, this year more than ever is a great time to schedule a checkup with Dr. Charles Sutera, FAGD before we head into winter.
With so much at stake and so many sacrifices in 2020, why not take advantage of the opportunity to enhance your oral health?
There are several options you might consider to brighten your days with a more dazzling smile. More on those later, but first let’s look at some important tips about oral health.
Why You Need Routine Checkups
A checkup prevents pain and dental issues from building up.
Your regular checkup generally includes x-rays, photos of your teeth and gums, measurement of spaces between teeth and gums, cleaning your teeth and below the gum line, polishing to remove surface stains, and a fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel and protect your teeth.
During your oral health checkup, your dentist looks for signs of gum disease, cavities, broken or cracked teeth, sensitive or loose teeth, enamel loss, and other oral conditions.
Why Does Any of This Matter?
Don’t take a shortcut to a dazzling smile. Concentrating only on bleaching or other cosmetic fixes like veneers can only keep you looking bright and beautiful until underlying oral health conditions begin chipping away at the façade.
If you don’t want a big gap in that smile from a missing tooth or three, remember the following the next time you’re thinking of skipping your checkup or skimping on good daily oral hygiene:
We recommend 6-month checkups for a reason: That’s the amount of time you can go from a cavity to a root canal. Your mouth is full of bacteria that doubles in population every eight to 12 hours, so minor oral health issues can escalate quickly without proper daily care and fast intervention.
“Embarrassing” and “Inconvenient” could be more serious: Bad breath or dry mouth could be a sign of gum disease (periodontitis), among other things. Gum disease affects 20 to 50% of the world population and has some shocking health links. Studies show periodontal disease plays a role in bone loss in your jaw, heart disease, and even brain disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
You can’t do it all by yourself: Daily hygiene is an important part of keeping your mouth healthy, but even a daily strict routine of brushing two to three times and flossing at least once can’t keep the tartar (calculus) at bay. Why can’t you take care of it at home? Tartar is sticky. The buildup can’t always be removed with a toothbrush and that’s what contributes to gum disease. If you have signs of gum disease, like inflamed gums, your dentist can schedule a deep cleaning that goes deeper below the gumline to treat and prevent further spread of the disease.
Now, Dazzle
With a healthy mouth, you can then explore ways to make your smile dazzle:
- Whitening: Your dentist can give you safer, same-day results.
- Veneers: To turn chipped, cracked, and stained teeth into a gorgeous smile.
- Straightening: Using clear aligners to correct crooked and misaligned teeth.
- Makeover: A treatment plan designed to incorporate multiple cosmetic dentistry procedures for a complete makeover.
Remember, a healthy smile is a beautiful way to greet the world.
