If you’re wondering what the point of dental checkups and cleanings is, the following are reasons why it is important and should not be trivialized:

• Early detection of oral cancer – Without detecting oral cancer early, it can quickly progress and become untreatable. However, regular checkups can lead to its early diagnosis and treatment
• Plaque, tartar, and cavities – Plaque buildup can turn into tar and ultimately cause cavities without the intervention of regular checkups and cleanings
• Gum disease/gingivitis – Without professional cleaning, tartar buildup can spread to the base of the teeth, thereby infecting the gum and making it to pull away and weaken teeth support
• Checking for bad habits – Regular checkups allow your dentists to detect some of your bad habits that affect your teeth, such as ice chewing, nails biting, jaw clenching, and teeth grinding among others
• Uncover problems underneath the mouth’s surface – dental checkups sometimes involve x-ray imaging that allows the dental professionals to diagnose issues that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye