Procrastinating Your Dental Appointment: Top 4 Reasons Why Early Detection Matters

Are you a procrastinator? In some cases, this trait may have bitten you, such as when you were in school cramming for a test or staying up all night to finish a paper. Now that you’re an adult, you have more autonomy, but if you allow your procrastination to take over your life, you will come to regret it. For example, if you don’t go to the dentist regularly, it can cause you more grief than staying updated on your dental checkups and cleanings as you should.

This preventive care not only stops gum disease and cavities from developing in the first place, but it also makes sure that you receive treatment early if a problem does arise. Why is this early detection important? Keep reading to find out!

Oral Problems Often Develop Over Time.

With the exception of a dental injury or accident, many issues in the mouth start off small and progressively get worse. In fact, you may not even realize the problem exists until much later; by then, the cavity or infection may already have caused significant harm.

By going in for a dental checkup regularly, you place your mouth in front of a trained professional who can easily identify the early signs of cavities, gum disease, and more. As a result, you can get it treated long before it severely damages your smile.

The Earlier Oral Issues Are Identified and Treated, the Better.

A cavity can be very small or nearly consume a whole tooth. Treatment for the first scenario is much simpler, faster, and more affordable than that of the latter. Instead of having to get root canal treatment or even replace the tooth entirely, you can discover the issue early on and take care of it through your regular dental visits. The same concept applies to gum disease and many other oral conditions.

Waiting Puts Your Smile at Risk.

If you know you have a dental problem, you need to resolve it as quickly as possible. Postponing treatment increases the chance of extraction and other more invasive, drastic procedures. In fact, gum disease is the top reason for premature tooth loss among adults. Although tooth loss isn’t necessarily rare, it presents many challenges that could easily be prevented with simple, regular care.

Oral Problems Affect More Than Just Your Mouth.

At first glance, cavities and infections may seem localized to your mouth; however, many studies conclude that inflammation-causing bacteria of gum disease can enter the bloodstream and cause systemic problems throughout the body.

In fact, people who have untreated gum disease are more likely to contract heart disease, Alzheimer’s, certain kinds of cancer, and poorly managed diabetes—just to name a few. In other words, if you want to keep your body healthy overall, preventing gum disease through regular care with your dentist is an essential part of achieving that.

Even if you tend to put things off to the last minute, you still have a little bit of time to sneak in a preventive visit with your dentist before the end of the year. Getting it done now can help you receive treatment early and avoid serious problems in the future, which is worth sooner than later.

About the Author

Dr. Gregory Craybas owns and operates Creative Dental Concepts of CNY. He is a member of many professional organizations, such as the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the New York State Dental Association, and the American Dental Association. Although he offers more advanced care, he encourages prevention whenever possible. If you need to set up an appointment at our Syracuse office, you may contact us online or call 315-475-6641.