TIME TO MAKE A DENTIST'S APPOINTMENT?

There are many things in life that we like to leave to the last minute. Cleaning our house, doing paperwork, and even going to the dentist. However, taking care of your teeth is about far more than caring about your appearance, as poor dental habits can actually lead to serious health complications further down the line, such as diabetes.

As a result, it's important that you do what you can to keep your pearly whites...pearly white. Thankfully, there are various ways in which you can do this. For example, you can brush your teeth twice a day with high-quality toothpaste, while minimising your intake of food and drink that could stain your teeth such as coffee and wine. However, you should also ensure that you visit the dentist regularly - and at least once a year.

With that in mind, here are three signs it is time to make that dreaded dentist appointment.

You’ve got a toothache.

Persistent toothache is perhaps the biggest indicator that you are dealing with some form of dental issue that you cannot address on your own. For example, while taking pain killers may ease some of the symptoms, it won’t stop the pain from occurring again. As a result, if you suddenly begin to experience a toothache, don’t delay and make an appointment with your dentist. It may be that you need to have a filling, or that your wisdom teeth are coming through, in which case you may need to organise wisdom teeth removal. Either way, the sooner you make the appointment, the quicker you can address these issues.

Your gums are bleeding.

Sometimes our gums will bleed due to over-enthusiastic brushing, which just means we need to be a little more gentle moving forward. However, bleeding gums can also be the sign of other health conditions such as gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss in the UK. Therefore, if you notice that your gums are bleeding during brushing, it's time to get your gum health in order with a dental appointment. Here, your dentist will be able to provide you with tips and tricks that you can use to keep both your teeth AND gums healthy at all times. For example, they may recommend that you floss more regularly or use interdental brushes each night.

Your teeth aren’t quite as white.

While nobody’s teeth are (naturally) 100% white, if you have noticed discolouration you may also want to reach out to your dentist so that you can attend an appointment with a hygienist. Hygienists have special equipment at hand that they can use to scale and polish your teeth, achieving a much deeper clean than you could achieve alone. Again, they may also be able to provide tailored advice that you can use to take your dental hygiene to the next level, while helping keep your smile as bright and white as possible. Furthermore, attending these appointments will stop plaque from building up on your teeth, meaning you’ll need to schedule fewer dental appointments in the future.

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