Reasons to Visit Arizona Dentist

White, healthy teeth are the most beautiful ornament of any face. A smile with pearl whites makes people more attractive and confident, and it can really work wonders, especially when you need to make a good first impression. And for that to be possible, you must visit your dentist regularly.

Regular dental care and hygiene are crucial for the beauty and health of your teeth. Unfortunately, people often have an unrealistic fear of pain, so they often delay or just skip seeing the dentist and even regular check-ups. You can find out more about this fear, which even has a scientific foundation, at this link.

Even if you're not afraid of the dentist, you may postpone visits due to other things. Many go to the clinics only when they feel pain or notice bleeding gums. These are signs that certain dental issues, such as periodontal disease, have already occurred. Luckily, you can prevent all these troubles by seeing a dentist whenever you notice some of the explained things.

Tooth Decay

This is the main reason why you feel toothache. Decay results from poor oral hygiene when bacteria multiply on the tooth surface. They produce the acid that damages the enamel, slowly penetrating through the dentin to the tooth pulp. If left untreated, it almost certainly leads to more complex dental issues and affects the health of other organs, such as the heart and kidneys.

Tooth decay in the initial stage is easy to treat. It requires drilling, cleaning, and filling when only the tooth surface is affected. The deeper the decay goes, the longer and more complex the healing. So it's important to notice this problem before it spreads to the roots and canals. If that happens, inflammation can occur, which triggers severe pain and often results in tooth extraction.

Gum Issues

Gum health is just as important as tooth health. It can also be endangered by irregular hygiene and poor oral habits, such as drinking carbonated drinks, too much coffee and alcohol, and even aggressive tooth brushing and flossing. According to experts from Smiles by Hanna, the first symptoms of the problem are sporadic bleeding, swelling, and bad breath, which you shouldn't ignore.

Also, gum problems can occur due to the accumulation of tartar between the teeth and on the gum line itself. You can't remove these deposits by brushing but must undergo a specific dental treatment. So, even if you have no other dental problems, it's a good idea to visit the dentist every few months for tartar removal.

Broken, Chipped, or Missed Tooth

No matter how much you take care of dental hygiene, anyone can break, chip, or even lose a tooth. It most often happens due to an accident or wrong bite. It's not actually a disease but physical damage. Still, it doesn't mean that a chipped or broken tooth can't cause you a problem.

If you have accidentally broken or lost a tooth, you have to visit a dentist as soon as possible. Broken or missing teeth can disrupt the structure of your teethline and cause an irregular bite and even jaw deformity. Thus compensating for the missing tooth or even its piece is of utmost importance. Your dentist will determine further treatment for this problem after a detailed examination.

Bad Breath

Bad breath isn't a disease but a possible symptom of conditions such as carious teeth, gingivitis, periodontitis, and even oral cancer. If you notice it even though your dental hygiene is impeccable, or you feel a bitter, metallic taste in your mouth, seeing a dentist is necessary.

A dental expert will look for the cause of bad breath with a regular examination, for example, by spotting food deposits and plaque between the teeth or decay that causes an odd smell from your mouth. Also, dentists can check the causes of bad breath using a halimeter. This device detects the presence of undesirable bacteria in the oral cavity, the decomposition of which can cause the disease halitosis.

Preventive Care

As in every branch of medicine, the rule of better safe than sorry applies in dentistry. Dentists are committed to contributing as much as possible to preventing oral diseases, primarily cavities. Good preventive care keeps more serious dental issues and traumatic experiences, such as tooth extraction or dental surgery, away.

At a regular check-up, the dentist will give you advice and guidelines on changing or improving your hygiene habits. These are measures everyone should implement on an individual level. They relate to brushing, using floss and mouthwash, proper nutrition, and timely treatment of minor dental issues. All these prevent more complex problems that aren’t just more difficult to treat but also carry high costs.