The Importance Of Preventive Care

Between work, family and social obligations, it's often hard to find enough time to schedule a haircut, let alone make space in your preventative dentistrycalendar for a dental appointment. Unfortunately, neglecting regular dental visits can have a major impact on your oral health. Independence, MO, dentist Dr. Richard Mark explains why preventive care is so important.

Tooth decay can strike at any time

If you've been cavity-free for years, it may seem like a waste of time to schedule appointments every six months. Unfortunately, just because you've never had a cavity, doesn't mean that you never will. As you get older, your tooth enamel can weaken, making you more susceptible to tooth decay. When you visit every six months, cavities won't have enough time to get very big, which means you'll probably only need a small filling if you do have a cavity. If you skipped a visit or two, decay could worsen, spread to other teeth or even reach your tooth pulp, triggering an infection. 

Maybe you have had extensive dental work done in past years.  Regular preventive care allows us to help you protect your investment in that extensive dental work.  Frequent, regular checks allow us to detect problems in early stages that are easy and inexpensive to fix where missing preventive care appointments can often lead to having to redo extensive work, sometimes losing these teeth.  Something we don't want for any of our wonderful patients!

Tartar can't be removed at home

Have you noticed a gray or brown build up on your teeth that doesn't go away no matter how often you brush your teeth? That substance is tartar, a deposit that forms when plaque isn't removed, hardens over time and then absorbs stains from foods one eats. Tartar is so hard that brushing can't get rid of it. If you don't remove it, it may irritate your gums and eventually cause gum disease. Tartar is full of microorganisms that damage your teeth and gums and it's presence on your teeth has been linked to increased cardiovascular problems. When you visit Dr. Mark's Independence office, dental hygienists will clean your teeth and use special instruments to comfortably remove tartar.

Gum disease

Gum disease is one disease you don't ever want to get. At its worst, the disease causes a painful, infection that can cause you to lose teeth. During every regular dental visit, Dr. Mark looks for signs of the disease. It's often possible to reverse gum disease in the early stages with a thorough cleaning and improved oral hygiene. Unfortunately, if you miss a few dental visits, the disease won't be quite as easy to treat.

Preventative care offers a simple way to protect your smile. Are you past due for a dental examination? Call your Independence, MO, dentist Dr. Richard Mark at (816) 461-3660 to schedule your appointment.

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Monday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-1:00 pm

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