Who Needs Preventive Dental Care?
Preventive dental care is essential healthcare. Do you agree with that statement? We sure hope so, because it’s true. Preventive dental care is essential for everyone — no matter how young or old. At our office, we see patients of all ages, and one of the main services we provide is preventive dental healthcare. Keep reading to learn more.
Why Preventive Care
What you do for your body, you should do for your mouth: eat right and practice good hygiene. When you have good preventive health habits, your body will stay healthier for longer. When you change or stop your habits, your health will decline, and you’ll definitely feel it. That’s why preventive care is so important, and you should always include dental care in that category.
Your Mouth Is the Gateway to Your Body
What happens in your mouth will have repercussions throughout your body and vice versa. For example, if you contract a preventable oral infection, like gum disease, that you don’t treat, it can spread to other areas of your body. The infection may even enter your bloodstream and travel to a vital organ, like your heart or lungs. In fact, poor oral hygiene is linked to more frequent respiratory infections.
Untreated tooth decay — completely preventable for most people — will never heal on its own. It can also spread and eventually hinder your ability to chew food, which can negatively affect your diet. When you have a less nutritious diet, your whole body suffers. You may gain or lose weight at an unhealthy rate. You may become more susceptible to metabolic illnesses, like diabetes. Your blood pressure may rise, which puts you at risk for other serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.
Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body
The good news is that routine preventive oral healthcare also helps your overall health. Your mouth stays healthy, which lowers your risk for the many complications linked to poor oral hygiene. That’s why we recommend the following preventive oral healthcare routine for everyone:
- Brush your teeth every morning and night for two minutes each time. Use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride.
- Floss your teeth at least once a day. The best time to floss is at night, before going to bed. Brushing and flossing cleans about 40% more of your tooth enamel than brushing alone.
- Wear a mouthguard if you play any type of contact sport or participate in any activity with an elevated risk of getting hit in the mouth or falling on your face. A mouthguard will absorb most of the shock from an impact and keep your teeth from sustaining serious damage.
- Visit us every 4 to 6 months for routine oral hygiene examinations and cleanings. Not only will we clean stubborn tartar and plaque from your teeth, but we’ll also offer you an additional fluoride treatment for added protection, screen your mouth for oral cancer, and check for any signs of infection or tooth decay.
When you prioritize preventive care and practice good oral hygiene at every age, you will stay healthier overall, spend less time and money on treatments, and enjoy a higher quality of life. So, make sure to brush and floss every day, protect your teeth from impact, and visit us for routine oral hygiene examinations. And don’t forget to schedule appointments for everyone in the family. They need preventive dental care too!
Contact our office located in Bowie, MD to schedule your next appointment. We’ll be happy to see you again!
