A Parent’s Guide to Emergency Dental Care

Posted on: 12 April 2022

If you put off going to the dentist's office because you have a busy schedule or you are uneasy around the noises and smells from dental equipment and supplies, your oral health might suffer. Keeping regular preventative care appointments with your dentist throughout your life is important. Here's why.

1. Your Dentist Screens for Oral Cancer

A trip to the dentist's office is about more than just looking for cavities. Your entire mouth is examined for irregularities and infections. Your gums and mouth are checked for growths and sores. When you get regular checkups, signs of oral cancer can be found early so there's a good chance treatment can start before the cancer becomes advanced.

2. Early Cavities Can Sometimes Be Reversed

It's best to catch cavities when they're tiny because small cavities can often be remineralized and reversed. This is a much better option than getting a filling or root canal and crown. The treatment is less expensive and you'll save your natural enamel and tooth if remineralization is successful.

3. Gum Disease Can Be Treated Early

Gum disease is common, and when it is caught early, it can often be reversed by improving oral hygiene and having your teeth cleaned. If you skip your dental appointments, gum disease can advance and infections can develop in your gums that lead to bad breath and tooth loss. Fortunately, that can be avoided if you see your dentist regularly and get treatment at the first signs of gum disease.

4. You'll Save Money on Dental Care

Although you'll need to pay for visits to the dentist's office if your insurance doesn't cover routine cleaning, you'll still save money on dental care if you opt for preventative care instead of having to treat problems once you've already developed an abscess or toothache.

A cavity that's progressed to the point where you need a root canal and crown is expensive to treat. Advanced gum disease could require surgery, which is also costly. The longer dental problems go on, the more expensive they become to treat.

5. You'll Spare Yourself Pain and Infections

Going to the dentist office for routine care is also important for your overall health. Dental infections can spread through your body and cause health complications. Plus, if you have a cavity or infection, you'll probably have to deal with pain on a daily basis.

If you avoid going to the dentist because of a phobia, your treatments will probably be more frightening once you develop a big cavity, abscess, or gum disease. By preventing these problems through regular checkups and early treatments, your dental visits will be easier to endure.