Sometimes, it’s dull aching in your jaw. Other times, it’s a sharp cry in the middle of the night-“Mom, my tooth hurts!” All too often, that’s your first reminder that maybe it has been a little too long since you or a loved one has been in to see the dentist.
Time has a way of slipping away. If you don’t schedule and keep regular dental appointments for cleanings and check-ups, it can be a couple of years between your dental visits before you know it. And that is not a cost-effective way to get your dental care. In fact, it’s just plain wasteful.
It reminds me of an old TV commercial that used to run when I was a kid. The commercial was to encourage people to get regular preventative maintenance on their cars. At the end of the commercial, a mechanic was waving to a happy driver as he said, “You can pay me now…” Then he’d jab his thumb over his shoulder as a smoking heap of a car was being towed into the shop and say in a more serious tone, “Or you can pay me later.”
That’s basically how dental care works. In fact, it’s this simple:
- • cleaning costs less than a filling.
- A cleaning costs less than a crown.
- And a crown costs less than a root canal & crown.
Now, if you skip your cleanings to save a few dollars, and wait for the subsequent toothache to remind you how long it’s been since you’ve seen the dentist, guess what? That toothache probably means you’ll need a root canal and crown.
You should always have regular dental cleanings to help prevent and detect any early signs of cavities, gum disease, oral cancer, and other dental problems.
You could actually save hundreds of dollars. Remember, when it comes to your dental health, it is always less expensive to prevent a problem than to fix one. Keeping your routine prevention appointments allows you to stay ahead of most dental problems. By delaying dental treatment, you are risking more extensive and expensive treatment down the road. Don’t be penny-wise and dollar foolish.
We feel so strongly about the importance of regular dental visits, that if you mention this blog post, we’ll do your next exam and x-rays free when you come in for your hygiene visit.
