Why You Shouldn't Skip Your Bi-Annual Dental Checkup

 Dental problems are quite common in America, with 13% of children and adolescents ages 5-19 and 25% of adults 20-44 dealing with untreated cavities (also known as dental caries) alone. This doesn’t take into consideration the numerous other dental issues like periodontitis (gum disease), injuries, and other dangers to teeth.

Even if you aren’t going to the dentist for a treatment or procedure, a major part of dental care is a checkup to help gauge your overall dental health and reduce any negative effects. If you’re in the Tukwila, Washington area, Dr. Addie Chang and her skilled medical staff are available for your bi-annual checkups and any other dental care you may need. 

To learn why it’s so important to keep your checkup appointments, let’s look at the effect bad dental health can have on the body, how bi-annual checkups help, and what you can expect from them.

How bad dental hygiene harms your body

Food particles and bacteria that build up between your teeth can affect many organs. Bacteria from periodontitis can enter your bloodstream and create many problems, like atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), endocarditis (an infection of the inner heart lining), dementia, respiratory infections, rheumatoid arthritis, and complications with diabetes.

This is why it’s important to maintain proper dental care, like brushing twice daily, flossing once daily, replacing your toothbrush regularly, and maintaining a balanced diet.

How dental checkups help maintain proper hygiene

If your teeth are not in good shape, regular dental visits can help you find the best way to manage dental problems. But even if you brush regularly and have fairly healthy teeth, dental checkups are a great way to gauge dental health and detect any possible problems that may damage teeth in the future. 

If your teeth are healthy, then you know what you’re doing right. If there are underlying problems, then we can help you determine the best ways to resolve them. 

While it is true that different people need dental visits at different intervals, if your dentist recommends that bi-annual visits are best for your health, it’s designed for the best chances of keeping your teeth at their best.

What you can expect from a checkup

Your checkup visit covers basic maintenance of your teeth, like x-rays, and examining your teeth, gums, palate, neck, and throat for anything unusual. We often scrape off tartar and plaque before polishing your teeth. We also review x-rays to ensure we make the best decisions regarding your current dental health, and how we can improve it.

Whether you think you’re in good dental health or not, there may be dental issues you don’t detect affecting your health. Checkups help us give you the best chance of getting ahead of possible problems and staying healthy. If you need your bi-annual checkup or have other dental concerns, make an appointment with Dr. Chang and her team today.