Everyone knows the basics of oral health care: brushing your teeth twice a day (for two minutes) and flossing daily. If you’re doing this, do you really need to find a local dentist as well? The simple answer is yes. These are four important services dentists provide that you can’t get at home.

1. Deep Cleaning:
   Brushing and flossing are important parts of maintaining dental hygiene, but professionals offer deep cleaning with specialized equipment to remove buildup and prevent cavities. Your electric toothbrush is a good start, but it’s no substitute for an ultrasonic scaler or other professional tools.
2. Cosmetic Enhancement:
   From safer whitening techniques to veneers, cosmetic surgery to Invisalign, dentists can provide individualized treatment to make you happy with your smile. Some of these treatments take only a day; you’ll never get those results on your own.
3. Pain Assessment:
   If you’re feeling pain, don’t just paint on the toothache gel and hope it will go away. Pain can indicate a variety of problems that may require extraction or surgery, and things will only get worse if you wait. Even migraine headaches can be associated with dental problems, so it’s important to consult your dentist.
4. Emergency Prevention and Cancer Screening:
   Just like getting a regular checkup with your physician, dentists keep an eye out for future health problems—and that doesn’t only mean cavities. One of the most serious conditions dentists screen for is oral cancer. It’s best to find a local dentist who knows your oral health history so that if anything goes wrong, it can be spotted and treated quickly.

There are a number of different types so you can start seeing the best dentist for your needs: You can find a walk in dentist, emergency dentist, or simply a general dentist. Whether you have a host of dental problems that need immediate treatment or have never had so much as a cavity, finding a local dentist, developing a good relationship with him or her, and having regular dental cleanings and checkups is an important part of overall health for you and your family. Find more.