We get it. You’re busy. The last thing you feel like making time for is sitting in a dentist’s chair. Besides, you brush your teeth multiple times a day. And, you don’t feel like shelling out any expenses for dental care. And, only old people have dental problems anyway.

Um. Nope. Not true.

It's really not cool to avoid the dentist when you're young. Here are some immediate consequences of blowing off it off:

• Decay spreading to other teeth. If you don’t get your teeth checked regularly, you may not realize the extent of any decay you have. And guess what? If you have major tooth decay that requires a filling, crown, root canal—that’s major bucks to fix the problem.
• Impaired speech. The pain of decay in an untreated tooth can make it difficult to speak—or even concentrate. How awkward would that be at work, in class…out on a date?
• Swelling. The infection from an untreated tooth can cause your cheeks to swell. So now you’re not only in a ton of pain, but you look like a chipmunk. Not attractive!
• Lost time from work and school. Not taking care of your teeth can cause you to miss work and school. The searing pain from tooth decay may make it impossible to function—and you may not be able to get in at the dentist’s right away. That will get old really fast with your boss and professors.

Those are just immediate consequences. Even though you’re young, you really do have to think down the line and make good choices now. And, there are serious consequences of avoiding the dentist in your youth. Here are a few that might get your attention.

(Okay, maybe these conditions aren’t on your radar yet, but all of them are still reasons for good oral health nonetheless. We know you want to live a full, long life!)

• Diabetes. More than 25.8 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. And, pre-diabetes is even more common. If you do have it, gum disease makes it harder to control your blood sugar—and puts you at an increased risk for complications from diabetes.
• Alzheimer’s Disease. You will want to hang onto all your memories as you age. Some studies are now saying that one risk factor for this heartbreaking disease is tooth decay/the loss of teeth when you are younger than 35 years old.
• Endocarditis and other heart complications. Endocarditis is an infection in the lining of the heart. The infection can occur when bacteria from gum disease travel through your body and cause damage to your heart. Clogged arteries and stroke are also impacted by the inflammation caused by bacteria from the mouth. So, if you let bacteria build up on your teeth and become a problem in your youth, you are increasing your risk for heart trouble down the road.
• Premature birth and low birth weight. Many young females may eventually want a family—yet another reason to take care of your mouth! Periodontitis (swelling and infection in the bones and soft tissue in the mouth that support the teeth) affects the ability of a pregnant woman’s body to properly nurture the baby in her womb.

So, if you feel that a dentist’s visit is just out of reach financially or that you really don’t need to worry about it right now—take some time to consider the consequences of not visiting the dentist regularly. Poor oral hygiene can seriously impact your life, and be a lot more costly to your health and wallet than you can imagine!