According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every four adults between 20 and 40 years has cavities. This is a staggering statistic since people in this age group are young and at the prime of their lives. One would expect that only older people have dental problems requiring the attention of a local dentist. If you're in this age group, give yourself the best gift ever, a beautiful smile, by regularly visiting your local dentist. There are a host of benefits to doing so. Here are six of them.

1. You'll Support Your Family

When using a local dentist, every member of the family benefits. You only need one dentist to treat your entire family. Whether it's the seniors in your home or the toddlers, a local dentist will ensure all receive proper dental care and keep everyone smiling. Using one dentist for the entire family also means you only have to book appointments with just one practitioner instead of multiple. For instance, you can schedule your family's routine dental cleaning in one day, saving a lot of time and providing a great bonding opportunity.

2. You'll Get Access to an Array of Dental Services

The ideal local dentist provides a wide array of services. They should attend to all dental issues of patients of all ages. Whether it's an older patient requiring dentures or swanky retainers for teenagers, a local dentist is comfortable taking care of everyone in your home. Perhaps you need deep cleaning or tooth whitening services, there are many treatments a local dentist can recommend, so you don't have to travel from one provider to another in search of appropriate dental care.

3. You'll Get to Develop a Personal Relationship With Your Dentist

Letting anyone insert instruments in your mouth is uncomfortable, especially if that person is a stranger. Although dental treatments can be invasive, after several visits to your local dentist, you start to get comfortable with them. This is critical, especially since the same practitioner will attend to the entire family. It's important that they all feel comfortable seeking dental care from the dentist. With time, great relationships will be formed, and the once-uncomfortable sojourn to the local dentist will become less intimidating.

4. You'll Be Able to Easily Track Your Dental Treatment History

Shuttling from one dental practitioner to another can make seeking oral health services problematic. However, when using a local dentist, this isn't an issue you have to deal with. After several visits to your local dentist, you establish strong relationships that could last for a long time. As your dentist gets acquainted with your oral health history, they can suggest appropriate treatments and keep you smiling for years.

5. You'll Have Improved Dental Awareness in the Family

One of the habits you want your children to adopt is going for routine dental checkups. This may not be possible if they have to visit multiple dentists for all treatments. A local dentist helps you solve this problem since the entire family can get all their teeth cleaned in one visit. This raises oral health awareness in the family, encouraging everyone to prioritize dental health.

6. You'll Have Better Follow-Ups

A local dentist provides follow-up services that fit your hectic schedule. Since their offices are easily accessible and small enough to give your entire family personalized attention, follow-up is much more convenient. From the receptionist in the lobby to the dentist, your hometown dentist provides you with a caring, personalized service. They take it upon themselves to remind you when the next biannual cleaning is due and occasionally call to check how your little Jenny or Brad's new braces are faring.

Dental care is a critical part of oral health. It involves a wide array of treatments and services. Since every family member requires dental services at one time or another, it's important to have one local dentist with experience treating all types of dental ailments and conditions. An ideal local dentist is one who your entire family is comfortable with, one who makes even toddlers stay still long enough to complete a dental procedure. Having one local dentist for the entire family means you get to centralize oral health issues, making it easy for everyone to seek dental services. Besides, any opportunity for the family to spend time together helps with bonding, such as that provided by a routine family trip to the local dentist. Call us today at Jay I. Swanson DDS MD FACS to get started!