A February issue of TIME Magazine reported that the effort to save a few bucks by skipping cleanings or needed dental work was not a wise financial decision. “Patients who’ve skipped checkups now have achy teeth and have no choice but to undergo a more expensive procedure,” the magazine reported.

Consider your cleanings like you would regular oil changes and maintenance on your car. When you keep these up, your maintenance expenses in the long run are actually less. Just because the car is running well today doesn’t mean you should skip your scheduled oil change.

Maintenance of oral health has far more impact on your health and pocketbook than your car. The condition of your gums and teeth affect the comfort of your chewing, how you present yourself to the world and your overall health. Most people don’t actually realize that each tooth is energetically connected to the rest of their bodies. When you do, you can see that allowing teeth and gum health to deterioriate is tantamount to inviting illness.