If you and your family maintain a regular schedule of six-month dental visits, then bravo! You are doing your best to prevent tooth decay and the need for extensive restorations. However, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll, over a third of all Americans did not go to the dentist last year. If you are in that group, visit Auburn, CA dentist Dr. Luminita Markham this year and get yourself back on the road to good oral health. Call us at 530-823-8771 to make an appointment.
There are many reasons why people avoid the dentist. For patients without insurance, they may feel like they cannot afford the expense. Some patients experience dental anxiety and only go to the dentist when a toothache presents them with a dental crisis. What these people may not realize is that regular visits are the best way to avoid those expensive treatments and dental catastrophes. In dentistry, especially, prevention is more effective (and cheaper) than cure.
What Happens at Preventive Visits?
Why are regular dental visits so important? It comes down to two major factors: prevention and detection. If you want to avoid costly and painful dental conditions, dental visits are the best strategy for preventing cavities and detecting them when they are in their earliest stages.
If you avoid the dentist for years at a time, you might think you are doing just fine—but cavities can grow and worsen silently for years. By the time you notice a toothache, you may need an extensive restoration such as a root canal treatment. You may even develop an infection that requires the tooth to be extracted.
At routine visits, Dr. Markham and our hygiene staff will examine your teeth for signs of decay and structural damage. We can detect small areas of demineralization and treat them so they do not develop into cavities. When we find small cavities, we can apply conservative treatments to efficiently halt decay before it becomes a painful, tooth-threatening scenario. If we see evidence of structural damage, we can ascertain the cause and help prevent further damage. Sometimes dental crowns are recommended to save teeth with deep cracks that would otherwise become vulnerable to infection.
We also will give your teeth a professional cleaning to remove tartar, which would otherwise encourage dental decay. We apply preventive treatments, such as fluoride and dental sealants, to strengthen and defend your teeth against damage from mouth bacteria. Learn more about exams and cleanings at Maidu Dental.
Why Home Care is Not Enough
Many people think that brushing their teeth twice a day and flossing should be enough to prevent cavities. For some patients it may be enough, but for others, lifestyle and hereditary factors may affect your natural resistance to enamel damage.
Medical factors can also have a harmful effect on your teeth. Many common medical conditions can make your teeth more vulnerable to bacteria, such as diabetes, acid reflux (GERD), immune disorders, hormonal changes, and more. Even helpful medications you rely upon may harm your oral health—and we’ll never see the warning signs if you don’t visit your dentist regularly.
Patients who rely on home care to keep their teeth and gums healthy often miss out on a valuable opportunity to stop tooth decay and gum disease when it is still treatable. Wait until it’s too late and you may have to see us anyway for costly restorations and tooth replacement.
If Anxiety Has Kept You Away from The Dentist
If you have avoided the dentist due to anxiety or shame over the state of your oral health you may want to consider sedation dentistry. At Maidu Dental we have only one goal: to help you have the healthiest teeth and gums possible. We do not judge our patients for their dental problems, we simply want to help them get better! Dental sedation can help anxious patients have a more comfortable experience while we tend to their oral health needs. Ask our staff about sedation when you call to make an appointment.
Sedation dentistry may help patients who:
- Experience dental fear and avoidance
- Have bad memories of prior dental experiences
- Suffer from a sensitive gag reflex
- Experience discomfort when forced to lie still
- Feel panic before and during dental work
Schedule Your Check-Up Today
With today’s advanced dental techniques and technology, it is possible for everyone to keep their teeth for life. If you don’t want to suffer tooth loss and wind up in dentures, you need help from your dentist to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Call the office of Auburn CA dentist Dr. Luminita Markham at 530-823-8771 to schedule an appointment at Maidu Dental. We can’t wait to meet you and help you get back on track!
If You Hate Dentists, You’ve Not Visited a Sedation Dentist!