When it comes to taking care of your teeth, brushing twice a day and flossing once a day is a great way to keep them healthy. But there is one more action that should not be neglected when it comes to taking care of your teeth. Making an appointment twice a year to have your teeth cleaned is essential to keeping a healthy mouth. After you have scheduled an appointment, it is important to keep your appointments. If you skip an appointment and don’t immediately reschedule, you put yourself at risk of forgetting to make an appointment, and new problems could develop in your mouth with no trained eye to see them and catch a cavity or gum disease early before it becomes a problem.

Prevention

A dentist can identify depressions in your teeth that are potential spots for cavities. Armed with the knowledge of where these places are in your mouth can help you be aware of where to spend more time cleaning. With a dentist’s eyes on your mouth, another important thing to check for is gum disease. If a dentist sees your mouth every six months, they are very aware of any changes in your gums. Identifying red or inflamed gums can help keep your gums from developing periodontitis, which could lead to lots of problems, including tooth and bone loss.

Cleaning

At your appointment, your dentist will also clean any plaque or calculus that has accumulated on your teeth. You may not even be aware of some of the places that plaque has developed. When your dentist cleans off your teeth, the plaque can no longer harbor bacteria that feast on the sugars you eat, creating an acid that can cause tooth decay. Preventing tooth decay can help you avoid gum disease as well.

Continuing to be a patient

Another reason why skipping a dental appointment will not benefit you in the long run is because it helps maintain your relationship with your dentist. Some practices may not be taking new patients because of having full appointment slots. If you skip an appointment and forget to reschedule, you may go too long without seeing the dentist, which could cause them to drop you as a patient. When you have a dental emergency, having your dentist on hand to give you advice and to see you if necessary will be very comforting in a difficult situation.

Avoid long-term problems by making sure you attend all your dental appointments. If you have not established a relationship with a dentist in your area and are in Coralville, IA, give the trusted team at Coral West Dental a call today to make an appointment you will want to keep.