Chances are, you’re familiar with the benefits of good dental care for your teeth. Routine dental care allows you to enjoy a number of positives, including:

• A brighter, whiter smile
• Fresher breath
• Lower incidence of cavities and other problems with your teeth
• Prevention of oral cancer, gum disease, and other issues

One of the benefits of regular dental care that you might not have considered, however, is that it’s good for your wallet!

Why Adults Don’t Receive Dental Care

Many adults assume that they don’t “need” regular dental care. After all, they aren’t having any problems. If they have tooth pain, they’ll go ahead and go in. Otherwise, why mess with it? Unfortunately, even those adults who are experiencing problems might not go in to get the dental care they need because of one huge barrier: finances.

Studies suggest that as many as one in five adults can’t afford the dental care they need. Even those who can afford it, however, might consider regular dental care to be too expensive. Instead of heading to the dentist twice a year, as recommended, these individuals choose to forego routine care and skip the weight on their wallet.

The Financial Benefits of Regular Dental Care

Regular dental care offers a number of key advantages. In fact, most adults who think they can’t afford regular dental care really can’t afford to skip it–because the cost of skipping a cleaning can add up fast!

Early detection is critical. Your dentist can use x-rays and visual examination to detect problems in your teeth long before you’ll notice pain and other issues. If you’re having tooth pain, you’ve already got a serious problem! Early detection of cavities, gum issues, and more can help you avoid expensive root canals, gum surgery, and tooth removal.

Regular dental care helps prevent cavities. No matter how well you think you’re brushing and flossing, chances are, you aren’t cleaning your teeth as well as your dentist can. When you see your dentist regularly, you help prevent cavities–and that means that you’ll have better overall tooth health.

Dental care helps you keep your teeth. Losing teeth can cause a number of problems with your jaws and mouth–not to mention the fact that dentures and implants are expensive! Stick with regular dental visits to allow you to keep your teeth for as long as possible.

Keep your physical health. Some types of bacteria and plaque in your mouth can also cause problems with your overall health. To decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke, keep up with those regular dental visits!

Use your dental benefits. Most dental plans understand the financial benefits of regular visits to the dentist. That means that they cover the cost of those cleanings every six months. Since you’re paying little or nothing for the visit, you can only benefit!

Affording Dental Care When You Think You Can’t

If you’re struggling to afford quality dental care, there are several things you can do to help improve your ability to pay. For example:

• Many lenders will offer payment plans to allow you to pay off major dental work over time instead of taking on the expense all at once.
• Evaluate your dental scrap, like old gold crowns to see if you can benefit by selling them.
• Health savings plans at work can be used to pay for dental work with pre-tax dollars.
• Many dentists will work with you to ensure that you’re able to receive the treatment you need without breaking the bank.

Effective dental care is great for your overall health and even better for your wallet. Is it time for you to make an appointment with your dentist? Get back on track with cleanings and other regular care to start experiencing those financial benefits today.