Importance of Dental Health

 

Most people think of dental health solely in terms of teeth. However, dental hygiene is comprised of several elements including your teeth, tongue, and gums! Let’s explore important tips for your dental health.

Why Dental Health is essential?

Your mouth is an entry point for food, beverages, and bacteria/viruses. While we naturally have certain defense mechanisms in place, such as saliva and tooth enamel, the sugars, acids, and bacteria we consume can all take a toll on our oral health.

 Neglecting dental care can result in painful conditions that make everyday tasks like eating and drinking hard. As well as that, ignoring your dental health can be costly. It’s much cheaper to buy a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss than it is to pay several hundred dollars to get a cavity filled or replace teeth with implants and dentures, which cost thousands of dollars.

 Missing teeth can have an impact on your appearance, which affects your job and social prospects. And finally, did you know that plaque on your teeth is associated with heart disease?

 

Preventative Care

The best method for maintaining your dental health is to focus on preventing decay, cavities, and infections from forming in the first place. Regular dental visits can help spot a potential problem before it becomes painful or even dangerous to your health. According to the American Dental Association, schedule an annual dentist checkup, and then depending on you dental needs adjust your visiting schedule from there. An average dental checkup will include an overall oral health assessment, teeth cleaning, a fluoride treatment, and depending on your provider/needs, a dental x-ray. Your private dentist will even look for mouth cancers, which are happening more frequently. There are many dentists and dental schools that can provide discounts to students.