A New Year’s Resolution That Will Make You Smile? Seeing a Dentist In Framingham!

Happy New Year! If you’re one of the many people that always resolves to turn over a new leaf and do something good for yourself, why not get creative and do something different this year? Scheduling a checkup with a dentist in Framingham is a great way to make sure your smile is healthy and even prevent the need for major dental work down the road. And it’s a fantastic resolution because it’s so common to put off regular dental care, but many people don’t realize how much that can cost them. So take advantage of the power of prevention and keep reading to find out why dental checkups are so important!

WHY ARE CHECKUPS SO IMPORTANT?

No matter how busy life gets, you probably wouldn’t dream of postponing an oil change for your car, right? You certainly don’t want to risk expensive damage to your engine or breaking down somewhere.

It’s equally important to get “tune-ups” for your oral health to prevent bigger problems down the road, including:

Gum disease – You might think that cavities are the #1 cause of tooth loss, but it’s actually gum disease. That’s why it’s so important to have your gums monitored regularly so that any early stage gum problems can be treated as soon as possible. There are several effective gum therapies, but they’re most effective when they’re done early on.
Emergencies – Dental emergencies often happen at the worst times, like a vacation, in the middle of the night or during a busy workday. The best way to prevent these situations is getting regular dental care. If you need any treatment, you can schedule it on your time instead of letting your tooth decide for you.
Major dental work – A small cavity can easily be repaired with a small filling, but if it goes untreated, it will get larger and destroy more of the tooth. Then a dental crown and/or root canal may be necessary, which most people would rather avoid. You might think that you would know when you have a cavity, but people don’t usually feel them until they’re larger and closer to the nerve in the center of the tooth.

Also, if you have dental insurance, most plans cover 80%-100% of the cost for checkups because they’re considered preventive. You may as well take advantage of this benefit since it will cost you very little or nothing at all!

WHAT DO CHECKUPS INCLUDE?

You might think of a checkup as just a cleaning, but they include much more than that:

Your medical history is reviewed and updated
Annual X-rays detect problems as early as possible when they can’t be seen with the naked eye
Oral cancer screening
Gum evaluation (once per year)
A professional cleaning and polish
Help with making your oral hygiene routine as effective as possible
Dental exam

It’s a brand new year, so why not make sure every aspect of your oral health is in great shape so you can enjoy it to the fullest!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Mark Fried is a general, cosmetic and restorative dentist in Framingham who focuses on prevention to help his patients prevent the need for dental work as much as possible. That’s why he encourages everyone to get routine dental care because he knows it’s the best way to maintain a healthy smile. If you have any additional questions or want to schedule a checkup, he can be reached via his website or at 508-872-9339.