5 Reasons You Can’t Afford to Neglect Your Oral Health

Your oral health is precious. Even though a dentist can repair broken teeth with restorations and treat conditions like gum disease and infected root canals, neglecting your oral health can become very costly because invasive and specialized treatments might be necessary. Beyond the monetary costs of receiving treatment for advanced conditions is the fact that neglecting your health can lead to the development of oral diseases that literally destroy oral tissue like gums and bone. In most cases, untreated dental conditions will only worsen without treatment. Following are five good reasons not to neglect your dental health.

Cavities

Tooth decay or cavities is one of the most common oral health conditions that affect patients of all ages. If a person develops a cavity, it must be treated with a cost-effective and minimally invasive restoration like a filling. If the cavity is left untreated for a prolonged amount of time, it will become deeper and wider. Over time, a filling will not make for an adequate restoration because more tooth structure is affected.

Tooth Loss

Losing just one tooth can have a domino effect on your oral health. Teeth support one another by holding everything upright. Missing one adult tooth can make a number of teeth shift out of alignment due to the space created by an empty tooth socket. Moreover, tooth loss makes a lasting impact on a person’s oral function.

Gum Disease

Untreated gingivitis can progress into advanced gum disease rather quickly. Advanced gum disease is powerful enough to destroy teeth and bone along with gums. When this condition reaches a certain point, it is not curable. It is only manageable. Managing advanced gum disease requires vigilant professional care on a routine basis.

Orofacial Pain

Headaches, jaw pain, and facial discomfort are common forms of orofacial pain that can occur when a person neglects their oral health by avoiding the dentist and necessary treatments. For instance, retaining wisdom teeth or untreated occlusal problems can lead to people experiencing debilitating and persistent orofacial pain.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer claims tens of thousands of lives every year. Having routine checkups, where dental professionals screen for signs of oral cancer, can literally save your life.

Call us today to reserve an appointment at the office of Dr. Barry Buchanan.