Oral health affects your life in ways that are often taken for granted. Your mouth can reflect the overall health of your body, showing signs of infection or disease before you experience other symptoms. It’s a commonly overlooked aspect of health management, but one that is crucial to your well being.
Preserving Your Pearly Whites
Preventative dental care requires only minor steps to avoid serious problems with your teeth and gums. Brushing and flossing regularly will greatly benefit your oral health, but routinely seeing a dentist is the only sure way to identify and treat problems
Prevent Serious Health Complications
The complications from a lack of dental care can extend far beyond gingivitis. There’s a proven link between gum disease and heart disease, and gum disease can also indicate a risk of preterm childbirth in pregnant women. Additionally, almost all systemic diseases have an oral component. This includes oral cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease.
Increase Confidence
A lack of dental care can become visually apparent over time. Tooth decay and gum disease can lead to the yellowing of the teeth, loss of teeth, bad breath and tooth damage. These kinds of cosmetic problems can impact your confidence and make you insecure about your appearance. Regular dental care can prevent much of this damage, and existing damage can usually be repaired.
Avoid Costly Procedures
Getting regular checkups and cleanings might seem like an unnecessary expense, but skipping them can lead to costly procedures. For example, a simple and inexpensive cavity left unchecked can grow, requiring a costly root canal or cap.
Decrease Pain
Most dental maladies manifest with some form of oral pain. A toothache usually signals a problem or infection. Intense oral pain can lead to an inability to concentrate and severe headaches. If the source of the pain is an infection, it will only get worse, and the infection can lead to serious complications.
The Checkup
At a dental check-up, your dental hygienist will check for cavities, and X-rays might be taken to determine if any cavities are present. The exam also includes a check for plaque and tartar buildup. Plaque is a clear layer of bacteria that can harden and become tartar. You cannot remove tartar with brushing, which is why it’s crucial to see your dentist to prevent issues like this. There should also be an examination of the soft tissue to look for swelling, redness, and any signs of cancer.
Importance of Dental Care for a Positive Lifestyle
Maintaining good dental hygiene is vital to living a positive, healthy life. Taking charge of your health can be very empowering, and provides you with peace of mind. As is the case with all medical treatment, preventative care can save you time, money and stress.
Contact Us to schedule an appointment or learn more about the importance of proper dental care.