It can be tempting to save money by not visiting the dentist in Buckinghamshire for the recommended twice-yearly check-up. If you are an adult and you have no kids to set a good example to, it can be even easier to ignore this important health routine. And if you are a bit scared, or a lot scared, of going to the dentist, you may find it actually hard to come along for a check-up.

But there are very good reasons why everyone needs regular visits to the dentist in Buckinghamshire, and at Garden View Dental Care, we like to make sure our patients understand what’s a stake with regard to their dental health, and their overall health if they don’t come along.

Plaque

Plaque is the name we give to that sticky film that builds up on the teeth during the day. It is made up of millions of bacteria, reproducing away merrily, and really going for it reproduction-wise when we eat sugar, which is what they feed on. Plaque is what we are trying to remove when we brush our teeth. We sweep it away with brush and paste, floss and interdental brushes. But we can’t get all of it, no matter how hard we try, and after 3 days, plaque hardens into something called calculus or tartar. This is a solid as cement and the only way to get it off is to scrape it away with special tools.

Decay

The trouble with plaque is that the bacteria give off acids when they eat, and these acids eat away at the enamel on our teeth, creating little holes through which decay-causing bacteria can enter and start to eat away inside our teeth. That’s when we need fillings. Left alone, decay will destroy the entire tooth from the inside, leading to infections that go down into the roots and can then get into the jawbone and destroy that too.

Gum disease

Acids also attack the gums and then then the tooth root and jawbone underneath the gum. Gum disease is associated heart disease, diabetes and other inflammatory diseases. Getting plaque removed at the dentist in Buckinghamshire can make a difference to your whole body.