Will Dental Costs Break Your Monthly Budget? No, But Neglecting Your Oral Health Can

Depending on how tight your monthly budget is, the cost of dentistry can seem overwhelmingly high. However, when small issues like cavities are left untreated, it can cause much more serious issues down the road. That’s why most dentists provide quality preventive treatment, so their patients can save hassle, money, and discomfort by getting the small issues taken care of during their routine checkup and cleaning. The longer you put off your oral health, the more expensive and invasive treatments you may need in the future. Investing in your oral health is priceless because you only get one set of pearly whites. Read on to learn about how preventive treatment can save your budget down the road.

What is Preventive Dentistry?

When you visit a new dentist’s website, you may notice that they offer a menu of preventive dental services that include bruxism treatment, oral cancer screenings, gum disease therapy, and more. All of these solutions will help you keep common oral health problems like cavities, periodontitis, and enamel erosion at bay and avoid needing to fork out money on more expensive and invasive treatments that aren’t as likely to be covered by your insurance.

The best part about preventive services is that they’re most likely partially or fully covered by your dental insurance. For example, most basic plans allow you to visit any in-network dentist every six months for a routine checkup and cleaning for free. To save the most money, it’s best to visit your dentist and spot oral health problems while the treatment is still covered at the highest percentage by your insurance plan.  

What Does Preventive Dental Treatment Do For You?

Preventive treatment keeps the small problems like cavities from ruining your oral health. For example, small amounts of dental decay can be cleaned and filled with a composite resin to prevent further damage. However, when a cavity is left untreated, the decay progresses, eventually leaving the vulnerable inner-portion of your tooth exposed to harmful oral bacteria. When this happens, it can lead to a severe toothache which is often a sign of infection. The only way to treat this issue is with root canal therapy or a tooth extraction, depending on the severity of the situation. Preventive treatment helps tackle the small issues before they cause you discomfort and while they’re more easily treatable.

How Can You Keep Up With Your Oral Health At Home?

Preventive treatment isn’t just basic dental care, it also includes keeping up with your oral hygiene routine at home. This involves:

• Brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes twice each day.
• Flossing every day.
• Maintaining a nutritious diet.
• Rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash regularly.

During your routine checkups and cleanings, you can also ask your dentist whether they recommend tweaking your at-home routine to make it more efficient and effective. That way, you can reduce your risk of developing oral health problems. So, the answer to “Is dentistry expensive?” is no. In fact, with regular preventive care, you can save yourself from costly dental bills down the road.

About the Practice

At West Hartford Dental Group, we offer the services and expertise of a general dentist, prosthodontist, and periodontist under one roof. No matter what our patients’ needs are, we offer comprehensive care ranging from gum disease therapy to Invisalign clear braces. Each of our dentists is passionate about getting to understand the needs of each patient so they’re able to provide them with the individualized, high-quality care they need to optimize their oral health. For questions or to schedule a preventive treatment, visit our website or call 860-331-8748.