A Teenager's Guide to Braces

You're really good about brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash, not to mention drinking water and avoiding sugary foods, right? So why bother with dental cleanings when they can be so expensive for people without insurance, right? Wrong. Good oral hygiene is essential, but cleanings act as the last defense against hidden buildup and as a way to clean out those areas your brush and floss just can't reach. If you don't get your teeth cleaned at all, you could see your good daily routines eventually have no effect.

Increasing Stains and Decay

When you brush and floss, you remove a lot of the debris that builds up over the course of a day. But some remains behind, either because it's stuck or because it's just too difficult to remove with a brush and a piece of floss. That debris can cause staining and eventual decay. The decay doesn't necessarily have to become a full-blown cavity, but it can, and if you never get the debris removed, it can lead to a cavity. And once that happens, you want to see your dentist as soon as you can.

By getting your teeth cleaned, however, you lessen the chances of decay. The cleaning removes that hard-to-get stuff, which removes the instrument behind the stains and cavities. And that saves you money because treating a cavity is more expensive than cleaning your teeth.

Gum Inflammation

That leftover debris can work its way just under your gumline and cause inflammation. The inflammation can lead to gingivitis, which gives you that bleeding you experience when you try to floss, and it can develop into a full gum infection.

Persistent Bad Breath

You may think that all you have to do is brush and use a little mouthwash to combat bad breath. And it's true that good oral hygiene goes a very long way toward keeping your breath presentable. But if you totally avoid cleanings, there will eventually be enough hidden bacteria buildup to cause you more than a few problems with your breath. Breath mints and mouthwash won't control that as well as they could if you were getting your teeth cleaned.

Cleanings aren't that expensive overall, and if you're really strapped for cash, you can tell your dentist that you can't afford x-rays (though you should try to get those if you can). At the very least, a cleaning helps remove a lot of what could cause problems later on. For more information, contact a company like Family Dentistry Of Woodstock.