It’s the beginning of the year and if you’re like most, you’ve made a resolution to be healthier. Maybe it’s eating better, exercising more, or even scheduling a checkup with your doctor. While those are all great steps in improving your overall health, there’s one piece you’re likely missing: a regular visit with your dentist. Believe it or not, ignoring your dental health not only impacts your teeth and gums, it can have significant effects on your overall health.
TWICE A YEAR VISITS: PREVENTATIVE CARE THAT CATCHES PROBLEMS EARLY
In addition to brushing and flossing twice a day, the American Dental Association recommends that you see your dentist every six months. During that exam, your dentist may order x-rays to check for tooth decay or cavities, as well as examine your teeth for plaque and tartar build up.
Plaque and tartar: precursors to tooth decay and gum disease
Plaque is a layer of soft sticky bacteria that if not removed through regular and thorough brushing can harden into tartar, which has to be removed professionally. So how does it get there? Bacteria live off the remains of food and drink in our mouths, well after we’ve finished a meal. They thrive off sugars and carbohydrates. All of those cookies and candy you enjoy? So do the bacteria in your mouth.
Ignoring daily dental care gives the bacteria more time to do damage. Plaque produces acids that eat away at the enamel of the tooth’s surface, leading to tooth decay and cavities. Bacteria can also infect the gums, causing gingivitis (swelling or bleeding gums) or periodontitis (an infection of the gums and/or bone). If left untreated, this can lead to tooth and bone loss. To evaluate your gum health, your dentist will measure how much space is between your gums and teeth. The healthier your gums, the shallower the space will be.
Following the exam, a dental hygienist will perform a thorough cleaning. In a process called scaling, tartar is removed from the surface of your teeth. The cleaning is finished up with a polishing to remove surface stains and flossing to remove debris in between your teeth.
PERIODONTICS: SPECIALIZED TREATMENT OF GUMS AND TEETH REPLACEMENT
Based on the condition of your teeth and gums, your regular dentist may refer you to a periodontist, someone who specializes in the treatment of periodontitis and the placement of dental implants.
There are both surgical and non-surgical ways of treating gum disease, depending on the severity. Procedures like scaling and root planning can clear bacteria and reduce gum inflammation, but if the disease is more advanced, soft tissue or bone may need to be replaced through grafts or advanced techniques that allow tissue or bone to regenerate and repair on their own.
Dental implants: improving on mother nature
There are instances when teeth or their underlying structure can’t be saved. It used to be that the only options available were dentures or bridges (dental appliances that “bridge the gap” between missing teeth). While these devices help improve your smile and offer some durability in chewing, they don’t offer the security and durability of implants.
Because implants more closely mimic the structure of a tooth and its roots, they provide a permanent replacement for individual or multiple missing teeth. During the first phase of the implant, a titanium post is placed where the tooth root used to be. As it heals, the post fuses with the bone in your jaw, and though it may take weeks or months to fully heal, the implant offers a much more secure fit than dentures or bridges. Once healed, an extension of this post, called an abutment, is added along with a crown that closely matches your other teeth.
Another advantage of implants is the long-term ease of care. Bridges require altering other teeth as part of supporting the bridge. With more intact teeth, unobstructed by a dental appliance, you have easier access for brushing and flossing, with improved oral health as a result.
A HEALTHY SMILE: A WINDOW INTO YOUR OVERALL HEALTH
Science has shown a link between a healthy mouth and a healthy body. Gum disease has been associated with other diseases like diabetes, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. One study from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry showed that people with gum disease were twice as likely to die from a heart attack and three times as likely to die from heart disease or stroke.
Why? Experts say the mouth provides an easy way for infections to enter the bloodstream, which may lead to inflammation in other parts of your body like the heart.
Just as oral health can affect your overall health, there are certain health conditions that can affect your mouth. Whether over the counter or prescription, certain medications like antihistamines or pain killers often produce a dry mouth. Because saliva is important to keeping your mouth bacteria in check and remineralizing your tooth enamel, dryness in the mouth can lead to gum disease, cavities or tooth loss if not addressed.
As our bodies age, we need to pay more attention to our mouths. Time takes its toll on many things and fillings are no different. Though it depends on the material used, fillings typically last about ten years. If ignored, bacteria can get under a loose filling and into the tooth, leading to more decay. Regular check-ups will identify problems fillings earlier before more damage can occur.
Osteoporosis, a bone loss disease most common in women after menopause, can have impacts in the mouth too. When jaw bones lose density, teeth become loose. In fact, women with osteoporosis are three times as likely to lose teeth than women without the disease according to the National Institute of Health.
Aging men have their own hazards. The American Cancer Society says that roughly 50,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer. The tongue, tonsils, or gums being the most likely sites. Men are twice as likely as women to be diagnosed and most frequently over the age of 60. Want another reason to see your dentist regularly? The majority of these cancers are discovered during routine checkups.
While anxiety may be keeping you from seeing your dentist on a regular basis, it’s an important appointment you shouldn’t be missing. Regular checkups, as part of your daily routine for oral health, are an opportunity to catch problems early, when they are easier to fix. So keep that healthy smile that greets you in the mirror every morning. It’s a smile that not only affects how others see you, but it also affects how you see the world.