Stop Avoiding Your Dental Checkups

By Padmaja Yalamanchili, MD, FAANS

Fairfax Family Dentist

. https://www.fairfaxfamilydentist.com/

More Dental Health Articles

Stop Avoiding Your Dental Checkups

Most people are aware of the importance of maintaining their physical health and are proactive in getting their yearly physical. Yet, when it comes to dental care many people will come up with various excuses to avoid seeing their dentist. Reasons could be that they think their teeth are fine, they are too busy, it is too expensive or they don’t have dental coverage. The truth is that maintaining your dental health is just as important and can actually affect your physical health, as well.

Preventive Care

Even though your teeth seem fine and you do not notice any physical issues, without a dentist examining your teeth you will never really know. A complete oral exam can help identify and prevent major issues from forming. This exam will recognize issues such as cavities, sleep apnea or teeth grinding. More importantly, larger issues such as gum disease or oral cancer can be screened. Gum disease is an issue that is linked to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, premature births or low-birth weight infants.

Avoid Costly Procedures
In The Future

The average price of a dental checkup is around $127 without insurance. If we take a look at a common issue such as a cavity, the cost of a filling for treatment would average another $150. An extraction of your tooth could cost triple that. Imagine other dental issues that require a much more advanced procedure for treatment and you could be looking at significantly higher costs. That initial dental check up could save you hundreds to even thousands of dollars in the future.

Lack Of Dental Coverage

Many Americans do not have dental insurance but this should not stop you from avoiding your dentist. You don’t need dental insurance to get affordable dental care. Here are some options you need to be aware of:

• Community Dental Clinics – All states have low-cost to no-cost dental clinics. Your public hospital may even have a community dental clinic.

• Dental Schools – Dental students need on the job training. This option may not be free but is always very affordable. Licensed dentists always supervise these students during procedures.

• Dentists for Uninsured Patients – Most dentists will always help uninsured patients get the treatment they need. They offer in-house financing and even offer special discounts for those who are uninsured.

There should be no excuse to avoid your dental checkup and there are many options for you to discover. Contact a dentist today to learn about the best options for you.