At Anderson Dental, we truly care about making every patient feel right at home in our Phoenix dental office, but in addition to having the opportunity to spend time with our friendly dentist and team, checkups are also important to keep your smile healthy. In keeping with the recommendations of the American Dental Association (ADA), we encourage all of our patients to visit our office at least two times a year for preventive dentistry appointments. During these visits, our skilled dentist and caring team will examine your smile, provide a thorough professional teeth cleaning, and work with you to create a plan for ongoing oral health care that meets all of your oral health care needs and fits your schedule and budget. Whether it’s been six years or six months since you last visited a dentist, it’s time to schedule your appointment at Anderson Dental. Contact our friendly team to get started.

Benefits of Six Month Dental Checkups

There are numerous benefits to visiting the dentist every six months, but the goal is to ensure patients are able to achieve and maintain their healthiest smiles for a lifetime. Some of the other benefits associated with regular dental checkups include:

• Reduced risk for oral health issues that require advanced restorative dentistry to repair the form and function of the smile
• Greater likelihood of keeping natural smiles for a lifetime
• Prevention of many common oral health issues like tooth decay and gum disease
• Maintaining a more beautiful smile patients are proud to share

The Oral & Overall Health Connection

Periodontal disease is one of the most common oral health concerns. Often referred to as gum disease, this oral health issue can lead to numerous dental concerns like loss of supportive tissues, dental drifting, and even tooth loss in the most advanced stages. One thing many patients don’t realize is that periodontal disease has also been linked to many whole body health issues. Much of the research connecting gum disease with overall health issues is still very new, but studies continue to show a definitive link. The connection seems to be the impact gum disease has on the immune system. Some of the medical concerns that are exacerbated by or connected to gum disease include:

• Heart disease
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Stroke
• Preterm and low weight births

Oral cancer is another oral health issue that has a clear linkage to whole body health. More than 50% of patients diagnosed with oral cancer do not live five years beyond their initial diagnosis, but this deadly disease is often detected in early stages by dentists during dental checkups. Just one more reason the Anderson Dental team and the ADA both recommend regular, preventive maintenance visits.