How does a dentist contribute to your health?
Have you ever wondered why dental organisations insist on a visit to the dentist in Chester-le-Street every six months? The foremost reason is to help you keep on top of your dental health. And good oral health, in turn, plays an important role in supporting overall health and wellbeing.
Think about it for a minute. As an entry point into the wider body, what goes into your mouth – both good and bad – invariably makes its way into the digestive system. Thanks to the moist environment, the mouth cavity is also a hotbed for cultivating bacteria. Millions of bacteria live inside the mouth consisting of the good kind as well as the bad.
It is the job of our experienced dental practitioners at All Smiles Dental to ensure that a harmonious balance of bacteria exists in the mouth, as well as identify worrying symptoms and take appropriate action before a major dental issue develops.
In today’s post, we outline the dependence of overall health on dental health and why scheduled visits, including routine teeth and gum checks with our dentist in Chester-le-Street, should be a top priority.
The link between dental and overall health
Oral bacteria are not invisible to the naked eye so they are often not thought about until a dental complaint arises. Bad oral bacteria are harmful pathogens that can cause a myriad of dental diseases, from triggering tooth decay and tooth loss to gum disease.
In addition to the negative impact of these dental diseases on quality of life (pain and discomfort, loss of a confident smile, etc), these bad bacteria can wreak havoc on other bodily systems too.
Researchers have found that bad oral bacteria can escape the oral cavity through gum pockets and diseased tooth roots to enter the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, these destructive bodies land up in the blood vessels in the cardiovascular system where they tend to clog up blood vessels.
Another system affected by bad oral bacteria is the respiratory system where they are known to cause inflammatory lung conditions. Life-threatening medical conditions such as coronary heart disease and pneumonia, along with mental illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, are at an increased risk in patients exhibiting symptoms of advanced gum disease.
Taking good care of your dental health with regular teeth and gum checks at our dentist in Chester-le-Street is a responsibility you must adhere to in order to keep your heart, lungs and mind in optimal health.
Reasons why routine dental check-ups should be a priority
In addition to early detection of dental complaints, there are a myriad of benefits a dental appointment offers.
Prevention of dental decay through professional dental cleanings. Deep dental cleanings are a reliable way of eliminating plaque and tartar deposits from enamel.
Get screened for oral cancer. Most people are mainly concerned about tooth loss and gum disease but mouth cancer is equally a concern. Chances of recovery from oral cancer are favourable when detected early and treatment implemented. When diagnosed too late, oral cancer can have fatal consequences.
Visiting the dentist not only helps protect your dental health, but your overall wellbeing too. Schedule your next teeth and gums check at All Smiles Dental for quality dental care and a positive patient experience.