To keep your teeth and gums strong and healthy, and your smile looking great, you need to make your oral care a top priority.

That means keeping your mouth as clean as you can every single day.

It also means you come to our Zanesville, OH dental office for regular check-ups!

At Hawkins Complete Dental Service, our team is extensively trained to remove harmful plaque and tartar buildup, as well as detect and treat oral health problems as early as possible.

About a third of American adults don’t go to the dentist routinely, and today, we’re sharing some important reasons why this is a big problem that we want you to avoid!

Why Dental Cleanings & Exams Matter

In recent years, studies about oral health are showing a frightening trend that proves a strong connection between what’s happening inside your mouth and what’s happening in your body overall.

That’s the number one reason your routine professional dental care is so important.

Every single day, your teeth and gums are fighting off threats to your oral health because the bad bacteria that lives there is patiently waiting to feed off the tiny particles in your food and drinks. When it does that, it creates harmful acids that attack your tooth enamel.

You won’t see the evidence of their assault, but know that microscopic holes and weak spots are there and inviting that bad bacteria into the delicate parts of the inside of your teeth.

Infections can develop there and threaten the strength and health of your teeth and gums.

In fact, gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss, so it’s never something you want to ignore or assume won’t happen to you.

Research also shows a link between gum disease and systemic health problems like:

*Chronic inflammation

*Chronic stress

*Diabetes

*Heart disease

*Arthritis

*High blood pressure

*Various types of cancer

*Higher risk of heart attack and stroke

Our skilled team at Hawkins Complete Dental Service can help you prevent these health problems by making sure your mouth is thoroughly cleaned and any dental problems you face are taken care of right away.

Here are two ways to stay on top of your oral health:

*Schedule Dental Checkups About Twice A Year*

Just because you can’t see or feel any problems in your mouth doesn’t mean they aren’t, or haven’t begun, developing. You do your part at home, but you also need to let our team at Hawkins Complete Dental Service do our part as well through routine dental cleanings and exams.

The reason you never want to skip out on these important appointments is because it takes a trained professionals with the right tools to remove hardened plaque from your teeth, spot tooth decay, and to identify the early stages of gum disease.

Through our deep cleanings and thorough exams using the latest dental technology, we can help you avoid the kind of oral health threats that can not only lead to tooth loss, but can harm your entire body.

You should also visit us regularly because, well, we just like seeing you! You’ll feel like part of the family when you put your dental care in our hands in Zanesville, OH!

*Make Oral Hygiene A Priority*

Your twice annual cleanings and exams in our Zanesville, OH dental office are only a part of keeping your mouth healthy.

It also requires that you make daily oral hygiene a priority.

The American Dental Association recommends specific ways to take care of your teeth and gums everyday.

-Brush twice daily for two minutes each time using a soft-bristle toothbrush.

-Make sure you don’t scrub your teeth too hard so as not to damage your enamel.

-Floss every single day! You can’t see plaque forming, but it can and it will if you don’t keep the areas between teeth and around your gumline clean of food particles and debris.

-Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride.

-Stay well-hydrated so your saliva continues to protect your enamel from erosion and fights the bad bacteria in your mouth.

*Treat Your Dental Problems Right Away*

If you’re not in pain, there’s no problem, right?

Well, no, not when it comes to your teeth and gums. Some of the most serious dental problems don’t come with obvious signs and symptoms until it’s too late.

While you may think you can put off dental treatment, or avoid it entirely, it’s a bad idea for your health and your smile.

Cavities get bigger and deeper and infections can spread, so any time you face a dental problem, have it treated right away so it doesn’t turn into a serious health concern in the future.

Call Us Today!

Your oral health is incredibly important, not just because of how it affects the way your smile looks, but how your teeth function and how it impacts your overall wellness.

Let’s help you get a healthy mouth and keep it that way!

Dr. Hawkins and our team have the tools, technology, and skills to catch issues like cavities and gum disease early and treat them effectively so your mouth is all in the clear!

To schedule your next cleaning and exam in our Zanesville, OH dental office, call Hawkins Complete Dental Service 740-214-1301 or fill out our convenient online form.