No one wants to be ill. We want to have long and healthy lives. We visit our primary care physician, hoping to keep illness away or to get better in a timelier manner if we have some kind of illness. We do not often view visiting the tooth doctor, the dentist, as being more than a cosmetic endeavor. Certainly, if we have not been careful with our dental hygiene, we may have a cavity or two, but generally we think of a dental cleaning as being a minor procedure and not very urgent.
This attitude about skipping dental care can cost people a lot in the long run. The expense can be monetary, but it can also be at the cost of your ongoing health.
The obvious cost of not seeing a tooth doctor regularly, or as soon as a small problem crops up is that the problem gets worse. Skipping regular cleaning and x-rays allows plaque buildup, and can permit the onset of gum disease. It is much better to go in to the dentist, get regular cleaning and exams and to have the teeth treated with sealant than it is to have to have a root canal. Treat dental problems as urgently as you would treat a problem in the rest of your body. If you have fillings and one comes loose, get it looked at immediately. It may be that the cavity is growing again, and needs to be cleaned and refilled. Delaying regular care can result in severe decay. You then may need a root canal, or you may lose the tooth and need expensive extractions, bridges and crowns to replace the damage to your bite.
A second, less visible cost of poor dental care is a decline in your overall health. A cavity can lead to a systemic infection. Bacteria that are causing decay in your mouth can go to other parts of your body. Poor dental health can actually lead to heart trouble. It will migrate to the inside of any arteries that have problems and cause inflammation there as well as in your mouth. If you happen to have a joint replacement, the bacteria from your mouth will be inclined to settle there and attack that joint. Make your tooth doctor aware of any other health problems you have. It may be that you will need to take antibiotics before any procedure, including cleanings, just to keep infections out of your system.
The dentist is part of your health care team. People who have access to dental care live longer lives and save money as well. Dental problems lead to poor nutrition, but regular preventative dental care helps prevent other health problems as well.
