A sparkling smile is everyone’s dream. And not just because it’s pretty. In fact, a healthy mouth with clean, white teeth is an important aspect of being healthy and happy.

Although we take them for granted, our teeth won’t stay with us forever. In fact, unless you’re diligent about brushing and flossing regularly, they’ll soon become discolored or damaged. Oftentimes, we only wake up to the realization we’ve been careless about dental hygiene after it’s too late.

When you don’t brush your teeth regularly for a while, or skip dentist appointments for too long, you develop dental plaque and cavities along with bad breath and poor oral hygiene. This happens as the result of bacterial growth in the mouth.

The germs act on food residue to produce acids which eat away at tooth enamel, resulting in cavities and gum infections. Dental care is all about not only taking care of your teeth to prevent damage, but also visiting a hygienist or dentist periodically.

Don’t miss out on your appointments. It will help avoid major problems by picking them up early and instituting corrective measures. That can prevent the need for costly and painful fillings or root canal work.

However cautious you may be, there are occasions when you will need dental procedures. So be on familiar terms with your regular dentist. He or she may be a person you’ll call on unexpectedly when things go wrong.

That’s the reason why dentist visits are important to your health. When you make it a part of your routine, you’ll improve general care of your teeth and gums. You’ll also sidestep troublesome dental conditions before they grow serious enough.

To learn more on the essential need for periodic dentist checkups, read this blog post.