What Happens When You Put Off Going To The Dentist?

Written By Meghan Belnap / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

It's fair to say that most people don't enjoy a visit to the dentist. The poking, prodding, scraping and drilling isn't a pleasant way to pass the time. But it's necessary to avoid even more unpleasant possibilities in the future. Do you know what happens when you put off going to the dentist?

Skipping just one or two dental visits

It's recommended to have your teeth cleaned twice a year, both to keep them clean and to catch cavities and other dental trouble before it gets too bad. Skipping just one or two of these visits might seem innocent and harmless.

But if you skip just one or two cleanings, the plaque that forms naturally - even with consistent twice daily brushing and flossing - begins to harden into tartar. Tartar is much harder to remove and causes cavities. It also creates bad breath and stains your teeth.

Remember that scraping the dentist does that everyone hates? That’s the only way to remove the tartar built up around the base of your teeth. If you’ve ever felt like the dentist took a tiny buzz saw to your teeth as well, then know that’s what happens when you go too long without a cleaning and have extreme tartar buildup. The longer you go without a cleaning, the worse it will be.

Ignoring a few years of visits

After a couple of years without a dentist visit, you may start to notice significant tooth sensitivity and pain. You may have cavities that aren't visible to you but are getting much worse. Cavities may even progress to the point where they can no longer merely be filled but will instead need a root canal and/or a crown to save the tooth. And in some cases, you may even need to have the tooth extracted.

Putting off the dentist for a decade or more

If you put off going to the dentist for 10 years or more, you're likely to have multiple cavities, some small and some big enough to need a root canal or extraction. You might have gum disease, causing loosening teeth. If the gum disease has progressed enough, you might even see jaw bone loss.

You also might find that the oral bacteria causing all these problems in your mouth are also affecting your heart, raising your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Oral cancer

Your teeth and gums aren't the only reason to visit the dentist. While your dentist can't diagnose oral cancer from their examinations, what they can do is identify suspicious areas or growths.

This can allow you to visit your doctor and get things checked out when oral cancer is still in its early stages. Because you can't see the inside of your mouth and throat the same way your dentist can, it would be easy for you to miss something, and without a dentist visit, oral cancer could go undiagnosed until it's too late.

Avoiding these and other problems is as simple as scheduling an appointment with your dentist. Regular exams and cleanings can catch trouble before it's out of control. Besides, who doesn't love that silky smooth feeling of freshly dentist-cleaned teeth?

Looking for a 100% all-natural liquid tooth oil and mouth rinse? Check out OraMD Original Strength and OraMD Extra Strength. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral health and skincare. If you are looking for more health resources make sure to check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

Written By:
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.