7 Benefits of Visiting Your Dentist—Sooner Rather than Later

You look at your calendar and see an upcoming dentist appointment, and your stomach drops. It’s not necessarily a top priority, much less a way you’d like to spend an hour of your day. The temptation to call and cancel begins taking over…

But before you pick up the phone, take a look at why you shouldn’t put off your dentist visits.

1. Avoid preventable damage and disease

Practicing good oral hygiene at home is incredibly helpful for keeping your smile healthy, but nothing can quite compete with the expertise and professional equipment your dentist has. He or she can perform a much more thorough cleaning on and between teeth, as well as along the gums. A professional cleaning removes a build-up of plaque to prevent cavities, decay, gingivitis and other oral health issues.  

2. Fix small issues before they get bigger

Along with cleaning, your dentist gets an up close look at the inside of your mouth to examine the health of teeth and gums and identify anything that looks abnormal. By spotting existing damage and disease early, chances are they can be treated with less extensive procedures. As the condition becomes more severe, treatments will be more painful and expensive and require a longer recovery time.   

3. Eliminate or decrease pain

Dental treatments may not be pleasant, but the results are well worth it. These procedures heal or restore issues that can cause pain or discomfort in the gums, mouth and face—allowing you to get back to work and do things you love without irritable distraction.

4. Save thousands in dental bills

Preventing serious dental disease means you also avoid costly procedures. Fillings, crowns, root canals and other treatments can add up to thousands of dollars in dental bills. Rather than paying for multiple visits to fix damage and disease over time, the cost of going to the dentist once or twice a year is insignificant in comparison.

5. Set your kids up for a lifetime of healthy smiles

If you have children, you want to keep them healthy and do whatever you can to set them up for success. And it starts by them seeing you take care of your oral health. Further, getting them in for their first dental appointment at an early age gets them in the habit of prioritizing their oral health and seeing their dentist regularly. 

Make sure you find a good dentist for yourself and your family to promote everyone’s good health.

6. Develop a roadmap to better oral health

Despite all your effort, sometimes oral health problems will happen. Going to your dentist allows them to look closely at the existing issue to recommend a game plan for treatment. Share the desired outcome and your budget with your dentist, then work together to put together the best strategy for you.  

7. Gain confidence 

Misaligned, cracked or discolored teeth can take a toll on someone’s self-esteem. Studies show that the condition of a person’s smile affects not only their self-confidence, but their ability to get a job or promotion. 

Other positive effects of a strong, beautiful smile include:

• Improved mood
• Improved social connections
• Lowered stress

Ultimately, good oral health can improve your quality of life and wellbeing. 

Spirit makes it easy to get dental care access

Spirit Dental & Vision offers plans that fit your needs, with no waiting periods, high annual maximums and flexibility in what provider you see. 

With a plan from Spirit, you don’t have to fear or dread visiting your dentist, because you know you’re covered. Compare available plans today.