Healthy living allows you to make the most out of the experiences you want. While most people think of a healthy lifestyle in terms of physically fitness, far fewer think of oral health as an important factor in a healthy life.
According to the US National Library of Medicine, oral health is linked to overall health. Various studies show a strong connection between poor oral hygiene and lung and heart illness.
While most of us brush our teeth everyday, it may not be enough to guarantee a healthy mouth.
Seeing your dentist is the easiest and best way to maintain oral health. It may not be exciting, but missing your dental appointment can put your mouth health, and those summer plans, at risk.
Here are five ways neglecting your dentist will have long term consequences:
5. Halitosis
Commonly known as ‘bad breath’, halitosis is an embarrassing condition that may not go away simply by brushing your teeth. Bad breath makes it difficult to interact with people. It is often due to a lack of dental hygiene, but it can also be also caused by being dehydrated, mucus build-up, tongue debris and bacteria.
A dentist can test your breath severity and recommend industry-proven products and advice to effectively combat bad breath.
4. Tooth sensitivity
Many people suffer from tooth sensitivity. It could be a sign of poor oral care, but it could be a sign of some other health issue. Sensitivity often arises from ingesting very sugary or acidic food and drinks that destroy our teeth’s protective enamel. This exposes nerves in our teeth that are hypersensitive, making eating incredibly painful.
Enamel doesn’t grow back so it’s important to see the dentist as soon as you feel sensitivity set in. Your dentist can remove plaque, provide a filling for a cavity, or recommend other solutions.
3. Time and Money
One study shows that Canadians lose over $1 billion dollars annually from time lost due to dental problems and treatment that could have been prevented sooner if they went for regular dental checkups.
However, time isn’t the only thing that may be affected, your wallet will be too. The longer you wait for that $200 filling you need, may turn into a $1000 root canal. To some it might not seem like much, but that root canal treated tooth will need a crown to protect it and that can set you back a few thousand dollars… for life.
Scheduling regular dental appointments will help you identify potential problems before they require more time and money to resolve and before they affect your overall health.
2. Gum disease (bleeding gums)
If your gums bleed, it can be an early sign of gingivitis. Gum disease occurs when bacteria buildup between the gum and the tooth, which can lead an infection. This infection causes the gum’s connecting tissue to break down and become inflamed, leading to swelling and even bleeding.
Without treatment, gum disease can make your teeth fall out and affect other parts of the body. According to the CDA, about 50% of Canadians who haven’t seen a dentist in the past year have gum disease.
Seeing your dentist on a regular basis will help catch any potential gum disease risks and help restore your gums to health.
1. HPV & Oral Cancer
Scientists have found a link between poor oral health and the cancer-causing HPV infection. A study from the University of Texas showed that people with gum disease showed a 51% higher risk of oral HPV infection, while those with other dental problems had a 28% higher risk.
Oral cancer is often treatable if detected early. Dentists are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. With regular check-ups, the likelihood of identifying diseases like these before they spread is significantly higher.
The CDA says regular dental appointments are the best way to prevent and detect oral health problems. Each of these examples could ruin your summer but they can be prevented or fixed with a routine dental check-up.
When you ignore your dentist, you’re also ignoring your health, and you inevitably put yourself at risk. After all, the price of not going could cost you.
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