The advances of modern dentistry have made us complacent. If your tooth has a cavity, it’s filled in. If your teeth have started to look poorly for any reason, you can get veneers. Crooked teeth get braces; crowded teeth get a removal. The list goes on.
We often think that any problem our mouth faces can easily be fixed by a dentist, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. You need to be invested in your overall dental routine. Avoiding these routines, particularly that check-up and cleaning, can mean problems fester until it isn’t just a cosmetic issue, but a life-threatening problem. You need to care for your oral health because your oral health will affect you in these top serious ways.
Your Mouth is the Gateway to the Rest of Your Health
Your mouth is connected to your digestive tracks and lungs, making it a weak spot when it comes to sickness and disease. Not only can it cause diseases, but it can actually be a prime source for diagnosing other issues in your health. Alzheimer’s, for example, causes worsening oral health symptoms as the disease progresses.
The same applies to Osteoporosis, HIV/AIDS, and diabetes. Your doctor or dentist can sometimes take just one look into your mouth and learn of another underlying condition in your health that needs to be addressed ASAP. This is why it is incredibly important to go to a family dentist like DentEssential on a regular basis for a cleaning and check-up.
Poor Oral Health Can Cause a Variety of Diseases
Poor oral health can further cause diseases on its own. Poor dental hygiene could result in Endocarditis, for example, which occurs when the bacteria and germs in your mouth get flushed through your cardiovascular system and eventually attach to the valves in your heart.
Periodontitis is another disease that is linked to poor dental hygiene and can cause low birth weight in fetuses. It could even cause pneumonia if the bacteria in your mouth is pulled into your lungs.
Regular Routine Helps Protect Your Health
The mouth is a very complex and delicate ecosystem that works to benefit from the bacteria naturally found in your mouth without tipping the scales into disaster. Daily brushing and flossing work to keep bacteria under control, but without this control, bacteria buildup can occur, resulting in tooth decay or gum disease.
Other ways to protect your teeth and gums is to improve your diet and reduce the amount of sugars and acids that you consume in a day. Even tasks as small as replacing your toothbrush on a regular schedule will do wonders towards keeping your teeth clean and your mouth healthy.
Without these preventative measures, bacteria buildup will occur, and worse, it will occur while you are wearing away the natural protections in your mouth. This could result in serious issues that will require extensive surgery (like a root canal) to fix and even more expensive cosmetic procedures to be done before your smile can get back to its former glory.