May 2016 - The Dental Place

May 20, 2016

Neglecting your oral health can have devastating effects on the health and vitality of oral tissues. Neglect can also cost you a lot of time and money when conditions and diseases are left untreated for prolonged amounts of time. This is why it is important to visit your dentist for routine checkups and cleanings and commit to a thorough oral hygiene regimen. Following are some ways that neglected oral health can affect your wallet and quality of life.

Oral Health and General Well-being are Connected

Studies have shown that many oral health conditions coincide with ailments such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immunity. All the body’s systems are connected and when your oral health is compromised, it can affect your overall well-being. Neglecting your oral health by skipping routine checkups and cleanings or by not practicing proper oral hygiene can cause oral disease and exacerbate general health conditions, costing you time, money, and your wellness.

Tooth Replacement is Costly

Neglecting your oral health can lead to tooth loss—especially if you have untreated tooth decay or gum disease. Losing teeth is devastating. It will make eating very difficult and it will affect your self-esteem. Replacing lost teeth can be costly. This is because custom restorations, made in a laboratory, are used so that prosthetics fit properly and look natural. While teeth can be replaced and smiles can be restored, it is best to retain biological teeth by caring for them properly.

Advanced Periodontal Disease Treatment is Invasive

Advanced periodontal disease can wreck your health. Not only does this condition break down the support structures of teeth and lead to tooth loss, it can affect general health, too. If caught and treated early on, periodontal disease is curable. Unfortunately, if someone with periodontal disease neglects their health and does not receive professional treatment, invasive treatments and deep prophylaxis are needed on a continuous basis to control the infection.

Scheduling regular checkups with our dental team can help prevent oral disease and increase the likelihood of early detection. Call us today to reserve an appointment.

May 6, 2016

By now, most people are acutely aware of the fact that smoking is terrible for your health. There is a litany of reasons a person shouldn’t smoke – from increased risks for cardiovascular disease to premature aging. Another reason smoking is bad for your quality of life is the fact that tobacco use greatly affects oral health, too. Smoking cigarettes and cigars along with smokeless tobacco use can cause periodontal (gum) disease, tooth loss, and oral cancer. If you use tobacco of any variety, be sure to bring this up with our dentist so that we can perform vigilant oral examinations.

Smoking and Gum Health

Smoking greatly affects the health of gum tissue. The toxins and chemicals released in smoke irritate and inflame the gingiva. Inflamed and irritated gums leads to periodontal disease since irritated gums are more prone to infection when exposed to debris and oral bacteria. Gum disease can be a devastating oral health condition, especially if it is not detected early on. Advanced periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. This condition also affects the health of the jawbones as well as soft oral tissue.

Tobacco Use and Oral Cancer

It is widely known that tobacco contains carcinogens. Whether you smoke or chew tobacco, you are exposing oral tissue to cancer-causing agents. Oral cancer can form anywhere in the oral cavity and those who use tobacco have a heightened risk for developing this type of cancer. During checkups with our dentist, our team will perform oral cancer screenings. Like many other illnesses, detecting oral cancer as early as possible is important for recovery.

Smoking Cessation

If you smoke, talk to our team about smoking cessation. We can recommend programs, medication, and supplements that can help you overcome using tobacco. Smoking cessation can have lasting positive effects on your wellbeing including reduced incidence of life-threatening illnesses, improved pulmonary function, and increased oral health.

To learn more or to reserve an appointment with our dentists, call our team at The Dental Place today.