What Happens If You Put Off Going To The Dentist’s Office For A Long Period?

• Cheeko
• 0
• on Jul 18, 2022

Everyone procrastinates going to the dentist. It’s similar to changing your oil or vacuuming under the bed as well as cleaning the spinach at the back of your fridge. Yes, these are things you need to do immediately but it’s easier to put them off for later. Well, you may be wondering what happens if you put off going to the dentist’s office for a long time.

Yes, dentists recommend that you need to get a cleaning and overall evaluation at least twice every year. This is important to remove tartar, and plaque and check for cavities. If you are not able to go to the dentist twice a year because of your budget or busy schedule, you can always use various ways to make your teeth healthier. However, you still need to go to the dentist regularly. A common mistake of some people is that they think because they have had private teeth whitening that this counts as a dentist check-up.

You can improve your oral health by reducing sugar intake, drinking regular water or fluoridated water (especially after meals), brushing your teeth twice every day, and flossing once every day. Remember, you have to take good care of your oral health. Here is what happens if you put off going to the dentist for a very long period of time.

Skipping Dental Visits For One Year

Is it almost a year since you last went to visit the dentist? Are you wondering what is going on with your mouth? Well, there is a chance that you may be developing new cavities. Additionally, the smaller cavities may be increasing in size. On the other hand, you may be in the starting stages of gum disease (periodontal disease) leading to gingivitis. It may happen if you are eating candy regularly without brushing your teeth often. Note that, gingivitis and cavities are likely going to cause bad breath. Brushing your teeth or chewing gum may not be doing the trick at this point.

Skipping The Dentist For 2 Years

Has it been 2 years since you last went to the dentist? Well, your dental cavities may be increasing such that you need more than fillings. You may start experiencing tooth sensitivity, and pain and may need a root canal and crown to save your tooth. This is because your teeth have been exposed to bacteria, acid, and sugars regularly. With time, the decay may start getting worse without regular cleaning.

Yes, this is painful and may be more costly to fix than adding a simple filling. If you have periodontal disease, it will start progressing causing bone loss (periodontitis). Eventually, it will cause damage to the soft tissue thereby destroying the bone.

Skipping The Dentist For 5 Years

Has it been more than 5 years since you last visited the dentist? You may never assume that you will get to this point but time may have passed without you ever thinking to make a visit to the dentist. Well, it’s a really bad idea if you haven’t visited a dentist for 5 years.

Within those 5 years, a small cavity may have progressed to needing a root canal. Additionally, the tooth may be too hard to restore and needs to be extracted. On the other hand, if there is a progression in bone loss, the progress of the disease may also lead to loss of teeth. It’s a good idea to visit the dentist twice every year for evaluations. This way, you can catch cavities early and handle them before things get worse.