Why You Shouldn’t Skip Your Biannual Dental Cleanings

The American Dental Association recommends regular dental visits. But is skipping an appointment really that big of a deal? It is, and you may be surprised at how much pain, expense, and worry you can save just by showing up every six months for your dentist to clean and inspect your teeth and gums.

At Vasona Family Dentistry in Los Gatos, California, Dr. Neda Zadeh offers family dentistry services including biannual cleanings and comprehensive oral exams. Here’s why you should make — and keep — an appointment every six months.

Prioritizing your oral health

Even if you’re extremely diligent at home with your brushing and flossing routine, bacteria, plaque, and tartar can still build up on your teeth. Dr. Zadeh and your hygienist can provide the professional cleaning you need to remove buildup and protect your dental health.

They can only help you if you show up on time for your appointment, though, so make a point of marking your dental care as a priority on your calendar. Here are some of the ways that your biannual dental cleanings help protect your overall oral health:

Treat cavities early 

When your teeth are cleaned regularly, you significantly reduce the chance of developing cavities, properly known as caries. However, you can still end up with soft spots in your enamel where a cavity has started to form. Regular dental visits mean Dr. Zadeh can catch these before they’re more than a few months old, stopping decay in its tracks with a timely dental filling.  

Avoid expensive dental work

Skipping dental visits means that the little problem that could have been remedied easily if discovered early turns into a big problem that causes a lot of pain and costs more to fix. It’s so much faster and simpler to treat a new cavity then to have to do a root canal or pull a tooth and install a restoration like a dental implant. 

Stave off gum disease

Gum disease, or periodontitis, can cause bad breath, bleeding gums, and sensitivity. Many of these symptoms don’t appear until you’ve reached the advanced stages of periodontal disease. At each biannual visit, Dr. Zadeh checks your gums as well as your teeth for problems. 

Screen for oral cancer 

Every year, more than 53,000 American adults are diagnosed with oral cancer. This cancer is curable if caught in the early stages, but it also doesn’t have many early symptoms. Visiting your dentist for your biannual cleaning and checkup is one of the best ways for your dentist to find cancer while it is still highly treatable.  

Don’t put your dental health at risk. Call our office at 408-290-9857 or schedule an appointment online today.