Good oral hygiene or health goes beyond brushing and flossing. It also means visiting your dentist regularly to have your teeth checked. If diagnosed on time, dental problems, including gum diseases, cavities, and oral cancer, can be prevented through routine dental care.

However, if you avoid those crucial dental sessions, you are not only in danger of losing your teeth and gums, but also your general well-being could deteriorate. This is because issues with the teeth and gums, if not attended to, could cause other fatal diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases.

To keep your teeth healthy and free from any issues, you should make regular appointments with competent and experienced dental care personnel. This can prevent some of the common dental issues, as we cover in this article.

The Meaning of Dental Issues

Oral problems are any disorders that impact the form, structure, and performance of teeth, gums, and other mouth structures. Dental issues can be as simple as sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks or as serious as oral cancer or severe periodontal diseases.

Some problems may be due to genetics or accidents; however, most dental issues are the result of poor oral hygiene and a lack of regular dental checkups. Oral diseases take time to develop and may not be felt at first, so you can easily neglect them until the signs and symptoms, such as pain or discomfort, become more severe.

Some diseases that occur typically in your oral cavity include dental caries, gingivitis, tooth decay, and halitosis. These diseases can be avoided or resolved if they are diagnosed early when your dentist is doing a routine check-up.

However, if you do not seek professional care, these conditions could magnify and lead to tooth loss, infections, or the need for dental implants, which could have been avoided if you had visited your dentist regularly.

Understanding the importance of regular dental visits is the first step you can take toward preserving your smile and overall health.

Common Dental Issues That Occur When You Do Not Visit the Dental Office Regularly

Failing to visit the dentist’s office regularly could result in several dental issues that could otherwise be avoided. Your oral health highly relies on professional cleaning, examination, and identification of developing issues.

If you do not make these routine visits to your dentist, simple dental issues such as tooth sensitivity may develop into major issues that may require you to have your tooth extracted, not to mention the pain you will endure and the costly procedures you will have to undergo.

Below are some of the most common dental issues that arise when you skip regular dental visits:

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is one of the most severe forms of dental issues that may arise if you do not go for routine dental checkups. At times, the first signs of oral cancer are not easily discernible, and you may not experience any sensational pain in the early stages. Your dentist will usually conduct oral cancer screening during your routine dental visits, which is critical for early detection. However, if you do not visit the dentist regularly, you will not undergo the screening procedure and, therefore, will not know if you have oral cancer.

Some common signs of oral cancer include the following:

  • Persistent sores in your mouth.
  • Swelling or changes in the color of the gums, tongue, or inner lining of the mouth to red or white.
  • Pain when chewing or swallowing
  • Abnormality such as bleeding or sensation of numbness

Early detection of oral cancer will mean the difference between receiving a fairly simple treatment or dying from the disease.

Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Halitosis, or bad breath, is a dental issue that can occur if you do not visit a dentist as often as you should. It is a common issue, especially if you do not brush or floss regularly. If food particles are left in your mouth for some time, they attract bacteria that will start emitting foul smells.

However, if you experience constant halitosis despite good oral hygiene, it could be an indicator of a major oral health issue. You should, therefore, visit your dentist, who will diagnose and treat the root cause.

Factors that cause bad breath include the following:

  • Smoking Cigarettes

Smoking is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to the development of unpleasant breath. Smoking makes the mouth dry by reducing saliva secretion. This, in turn, leads to increased growth of harmful bacteria, which leads you to emit an unpleasant odor. Moreover, tobacco is rather intensive and has a long-lasting scent that permeates the mouth.

  • Periodontal Diseases

Halitosis is one of the early signs that you are suffering from gum disease. When there is a buildup of plaque below the gumline, bacteria can grow in that area, resulting in inflammation and infection of the gums. This will then lead to a noticeable foul smell in your mouth.

  • Chronic Illnesses

Some chronic illnesses that can lead to halitosis include diabetes, respiratory tract infections, and gastrointestinal diseases. These conditions may disrupt your body's normal function by causing an imbalance in your systems, which can result in an unusual or bad odor.

  • Food

When consumed raw, foods such as garlic and onions can cause bad breath. As they are broken down in your digestive system, some components could enter your bloodstream and be pumped into your lungs, where they mix with the air you exhale, causing bad breath. However, with regular visits to your dentist, they will advise you on oral hygiene to ensure that you do not have any lingering food particles.

  • Poor Oral Hygiene

If you do not clean your mouth regularly, plaque, tartar, and bacteria will form and cause bad breath. Flossing and brushing are effective, but if you do not seek the services of dental care personnel who will clean your teeth professionally, the halitosis problem could become chronic and even worsen.

This is because dental issues such as plaque cannot be washed off with brushing and flossing alone; you have to undergo deep cleaning in a dental office.

Gum Disease

Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is a serious infection of the gums that can lead to tooth loss if not treated. It most often starts as gingivitis, a mild form of gum inflammation caused by tartar formation on the teeth.

If you fail to visit the dentist, gingivitis may develop into periodontitis, where your gums begin to recede and pockets form around the teeth. These pockets allow bacteria to reside in them, leading to infections.

Regular dental checkups can prevent periodontal disease. Regular cleaning of teeth is essential to prevent the buildup of plaque and tartar, which causes inflammation in the gums. Your dentist will also examine whether there are symptoms of early gum disease, such as bleeding gums, swollen gums, or foul breath, so that they can be treated.

Gum disease is one of the major causes of tooth loss in adults and is also associated with heart disease and diabetes. Therefore, detecting early signs of gum disease could prevent you from obtaining this chronic disease.

The Dental Practice Act of California mandates that dentists are crucial in controlling periodontal diseases through cleaning and educating their patients. Therefore, if your dentist can detect that you have gum disease early, it could prevent you from undergoing root scaling and planing or oral surgery.

Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity occurs when the outer cover of the teeth, both enamel and cementum, erode to reveal the sensitive dentin. Dentin is filled with tiny tubules that allow the nerves located in the tooth to sense temperature, acidity, or even cold air. If you have tooth sensitivity, you could experience sudden, sharp pain while taking hot or cold drinks, sweet foods, or sour substances.

If you attend your routine dental checkups, you can prevent or manage tooth sensitivity easily. This is because your dentists can detect early signs of any erosion of your enamel. If they diagnose you with tooth sensitivity early on, they can apply fluoride treatments or recommend desensitizing toothpaste that helps strengthen your enamel and shield sensitive areas of the teeth.

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay refers to the process by which the outer hard surface of your teeth, known as enamel, is worn away by the acids that the bacteria in your mouth produce. This process occurs when plaque is formed. If it is not effectively washed away with brushing, flossing, or periodic scaling by your dentist, it could cause the erosion of the enamel. When the enamel erodes, tiny holes form in the teeth, leading to cavities. Cavities are among the most prevalent oral diseases that may be treated effectively if you visit a dentist regularly.

During a routine checkup, your dentist will scale your teeth to remove tartar and plaque that cause decay. Your dentist will also take X-ray pictures to detect decay before it forms into a cavity.

If the decay is left untreated, it may lead to infections, the formation of abscesses, or even root fillings. In California, the Dental Practice Act discourages complex treatments due to advanced decay; instead, it encourages periodic prophylactic treatments, including cleaning and patient education.

Tooth Loss

Tooth loss may result from several factors, including tooth-rotting, gum diseases, or an accident. However, the main reason for tooth loss in adults is periodontal disease, which gradually erodes the tissues surrounding the teeth, gums, and bones. Attending routine dental checkups is essential in avoiding tooth loss since conditions that may lead to tooth loss can be detected and treated early.

When you fail to attend regular dental checkups, you can develop minor cavities or early signs of gum disease without realizing it. When these progress, your teeth may become loose or may have to be removed.

Each tooth has its own function, and if it is missing due to tooth loss, it could lead to more problems, including misalignment, bone loss, and chewing and speaking problems. Also, if you have a gap, you could feel that your looks are spoiled, affecting your self-esteem.

Your dentist may recommend that you undertake regular preventive care such as routine dental checkups, applying fluoride treatments, and monitoring your gum health. This will help you lower the likelihood of cavities and other dental issues that would require expensive procedures such as implants and dentures.

Overcrowding of Teeth

Overcrowding occurs when there is not enough space in the jaw for all teeth, causing them to be misaligned. This condition affects the aesthetics of teeth and also creates oral problems. Crowded teeth are difficult to clean and maintain, resulting in decay, gum diseases, and even tooth loss.

It is essential to have dental check-ups regularly to follow up on tooth alignment, especially for children and teenagers whose teeth are still growing. If overcrowding is detected early enough, it can be corrected through orthodontic procedures such as braces or aligners to prevent future problems.

In adults, regular dental checkups can detect problems caused by overcrowded teeth, such as abnormal wear or damage to adjacent teeth. Preventing overcrowding-related issues early can prevent more invasive dental work in the future, such as extractions or complex orthodontic treatments. Your dentist can also suggest tooth reshaping or any other procedure to create enough room in your jaw for all your teeth.

Find a Competent La Puente Dentist Near Me

Maintaining good oral health and preventing some oral health issues, including cavities, gum diseases, tooth loss, and bad breath, goes beyond brushing and flossing. That is why it is critical to visit the dentist often to diagnose and treat oral conditions in their early stages.

By visiting the dentist for checkups and cleaning, you can keep your oral health in check, avoid any painful procedures, and maintain your general health. At La Puente Advanced Dentistry, we focus on giving you the quality dental care you deserve.

Whether you are interested in avoiding dental issues such as tooth decay or are experiencing dental problems such as overcrowded or misaligned teeth, our team is ready to help. Using the latest equipment and developing an individual approach, we guarantee that your dental health is always a priority.

Do not let these dental issues get worse; book your appointment for a routine checkup right now. Contact us today at 626-626-7075 to receive the treatment you deserve.