Yes, Your Mom Was Right

 Smilescape Dental
Your mother’s been telling you all your life to take care of your teeth and make regular visits to the dentist. But there may be more to good dental care than you OR your mother thought. With regular dental checkups, many serious medical conditions can be detected early. That’s because the first indicators of a disease, or a susceptibility to a disease may show up in the mouth (or the eyes).
That’s why the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) says that your oral health is a good indicator of your overall health.
When a dentist gives you an oral exam, you may believe he or she is looking for signs of tooth decay and gum disease… and of course, they are. But they are also looking for signs of mouth cancer, and examining the oral tissues and the neck for lumps, sores, masses, unusual sores or patches, or vitamin and nutrient deficiencies and hormonal irregularities.
Diabetes may first appear in the mouth in the form of gum disease, oral infections, and excess cavities. Early detection after a trip to the dentist may make a world of difference in the life of a diabetic. Dentists can tell you that if you have both gum disease and diabetes, chances are you also have great difficulty controlling your blood sugar.
Other conditions that show up in the mouth are hyper-stress, detected by ground-down teeth. Also, when a dentist notices that an oral inflammation that does not clear up in a reasonable time period can be an indication of immune deficiency disorder.
The American Dental Association has also reported that oral bacteria has been linked to heart disease, stroke, and pre-term, low-birth weight babies. Good regular dental cleaning can help defend against these conditions. Scientists suggest that people with chronic gum and periodontal disease are actually predisposed to heart attack and stroke. As yet, they do not have rock-solid evidence but there does often seem to be a connection. A published study suggests that the more teeth an adult has lost, the more likely they are to have advanced periodontal infections as well as a carotid artery clogged with plaque. The carotid is the vessel that feeds blood to the brain.
Not only does your dental health affect your physical health, but if your teeth fall out or are stained and unattractive, your self-perception can tank, affecting your mental health too.
So you see, your mother was smart to teach you to make regular dental visits. If you haven’t been there for a while, make an appointment. You’ll be protecting much more than just your ivory choppers.
Take you dental and overall health to next level by visiting www.ranchodentalmedspa.com or by calling 297-8600 to make a complementary consultation appointment.