BRENTWOOD, Tenn., April 27, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Kellye Rice, a Tennessee dentist, is encouraging patients to seek regular preventative dental care. Dr. Rice reports that she is seeing an increase in patients who avoid routine visits because of financial difficulties or busy schedules, and that, in the long run, putting off regular care could cost thousands of dollars. Dr. Rice is concerned that forgoing regular dental appointments often creates serious dental problems requiring extensive treatment.
"We're seeing an increase in preventable tooth decay and gum disease," says Dr. Kellye N. Rice, DMD a Brentwood dentist at Cool Springs Laser Dentistry. "These conditions require expensive treatments like fillings, root canals, and root planing."
While it's not uncommon for patients to push back getting a cavity filled if they're not in pain, many patients are eliminating regular dental cleanings altogether, according to the Brentwood dentist. This avoidance often results in serious dental conditions that go beyond traditional dental care. While most people understand that getting new cavities is a risk when forgoing twice yearly preventative maintenance, there are other significant conditions that can arise from failure to see a dentist on a regular basis.
"The most common condition that we see coming from this problem is periodontal disease, or gum disease." Dr. Rice says. "Periodontal disease doesn't affect just the gums. Once your gums are inflamed or infected, your entire body becomes involved from swallowing toxic bacteria on a daily basis. Untreated periodontal disease has been linked to heart disease, and problems in pregnancy."
Cool Springs Laser Dentistry recommends at least twice-yearly dental cleanings for patients with relatively healthy teeth and gums. Dental cleanings are relatively short, inexpensive visits that remove plaque and tartar from deep spaces within the teeth and underneath the gums where regular brushing and flossing can't reach. Dr. Rice explains that patients who already have periodontal disease may need more frequent visits with a dentist until their gum health is improved.
By keeping up with regular dental screenings and hygiene, patients can decrease the chances that they will need major procedures like root canals or deep gum cleanings in the future. Dr. Rice urges, "Not only are major procedures expensive, but they can require time away from work or other responsibilities." In addition to preventing many serious dental problems, routine dental screenings by a dentist will also help to alert patients of conditions that require treatment early. Dr. Rice emphasizes, "Early treatment of potentially significant dental issues is key to a healthy mouth."
In addition to offering routine dental cleanings, Cool Springs Laser Dentistry also offers a wide range of services including pediatric dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and sedation dentistry. Cool Springs Laser Dentistry provides thorough dental care for new and established patients.