Most of us would rather do anything than visiting a dental office for the sake of our oral health. The high-pitched whirling sound of the drill can fill us with dread at what could be waiting once we open our mouth. Therefore, many don’t take the health of their mouth and oral hygiene as seriously as they should, which can lead to even worst health problems than cavities or gum disease.
For those that only like to visit a dentist when a toothache occurs or a filling falls out are playing a dangerous game besides just bad breath. A regular dental cleaning twice a year to rid the mouth of plaque that is done by a dental hygienist can catch dental issues such as the first stages of periodontal disease once examining the tissues in your mouth during the cleaning. If unchecked, these issues could lead to tooth loss from that unhealthy buildup that later forms into harder tartar. While that scenario is bad, your overall health also is involved from risking heart disease, a stroke, hypertension, diabetes to oral cancer and respiratory diseases. A mother-to-be could be giving her unborn baby an infection through her bloodstream that can spread and cause low birth weight or premature birth.
What else that can be done to protect oral care is supplementing a healthy balanced diet with more minerals such as calcium and phosphorus for strengthening tooth enamel. It is also a great idea to eat more fruits and vegetables because they stimulate saliva that helps lubricate trapped particles of food and neutralizing acids as they naturally cleanse the teeth. You also may want to read my earlier post on the best teeth friendly foods to munch on.
Trying to drink more water also can help the health of your teeth and health in general. Water can wash and lubricate a dry mouth while ridding the body of toxins. However, not all water is as helpful for your teeth as you may imagine. Be careful of citrus-flavored waters due to their high acids that can be destructive for teeth or carbonated waters, which can have a harmful effect on tooth enamel according to the research. Plain water, preferably, but fluoridated is the best bet for oral wellbeing.
Issues That Can Complicate a Healthy Mouth and Oral Hygiene
If you have osteoporosis, osteopenia or Paget’s disease, which is another bone related condition in how the body goes through a cycle of replacing bone that can also end up with fragile bones instead of stronger ones. Make sure to tell the dentist about all the drugs that you’re on, especially ones like Fosamax or Actonel. The reason is you don’t want to risk osteonecrosis of the jaw that can severely injure it , which can occur after a serious dental procedure such as an implant.
Stress related problems pose potential problems for oral health with the release of cortisol. The reason this could have such impact is because that hormone also hurts the immune system and odds of developing periodontal disease.
Though no one can honestly say that they love going to the dentist, those twice a year visits are important for oral hygiene as well as overall health for living well.
