Do You Know When You Should See A Dentist?

Dental phobia is real and it’s stopping a large percentage of the British population from visiting the dentist. Did you know that 25% of Brits confess to not having seen a dentist in the last two years, but what sort of impact can this have on your oral and general health?

When we brush our teeth, we are effectively removing food deposits that we didn’t swallow from our last meal. If food deposits are not effectively removed by your toothbrush, they can lead to tooth decay; which may need a filling in the short term, and may even lead to tooth loss in the long term.

When these food deposits harden near the gumline and turn into tartar, you are putting yourself at greater risk of gum disease. The effects of gum disease can lead to painful and irritated gums, bleeding when you brush and potentially tooth loss. More seriously this condition has been linked to coronary disease and diabetes in those who have not had their late stage gum disease treated by a professional dentist.

So how do you know if you’re removing all food deposits from your teeth when you brush and that you’re not putting yourself at risk from serious dental issues? Well, for a start, if you know you’re not brushing your teeth twice a day with the last session taking place last thing at night, then you’re more likely to collide with dental concerns. However, the only real way to tell is to visit your dentist at least twice a year. Even only visiting the dentist once annually will improve your chances of keeping serious dental conditions away.

Symptoms that should be seen by your Dentist

Is the pain in your mouth becoming uncomfortable? Are you suffering from a toothache? The sooner the cause of tooth pain is detected, the less likely you are to need invasive or prolonged dental work to prevent escalating problems. If your gums are swollen, painful or you’ve noticed spots of blood when you brush your teeth, you could be suffering from the early stages of gum disease. Again less treatment is required to correct this issue the earlier you catch it.

Jaw pain, mouth sores or spots are also worth mentioning to a dentist, just to be sure you’re not brewing up an underlying and potentially serious dental illness. Smokers and pregnant women should endeavour to visit the dentist regularly as these groups of people can be more at risk of developing tooth and gum problems.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Of course it’s not just immediate physical problems in the mouth that your dentist will correct. If you’re suffering from problems concerning your self esteem because you’re unhappy about how your teeth look, your dentist can help. A good indicator that you may benefit from cosmetic dentistry; the restoration of damaged teeth, tooth replacement or alignment, is if you’re conscious of hiding your smile. The best way to solve this is to visit us at Lion Dental Centre.

It’s simple! Just contact us today and we can get you booked in for a consultation at our Stourbridge dental practice. Our wonderful dental team will be more than happy to help answer any questions or concerns you may have.