There are a ton of sayings about oral hygiene, good advice we picked up from our senior loved ones, and a ton of online resources that insist on the innumerable benefits of taking care of your oral health.
The foundation in all of them is simple -hardly will you have a healthy smile if you can’t keep up with good oral hygiene habits. And with oral health statistics stating that all is not well with many Americans where oral health is concerned, it would be prudent if we paid more attention to our bite.
Periodontal health is especially important, considering you’re more prone to periodontal disease as you age. The CDC reports that more than 70% of seniors 65 years and older have periodontal disease.
What is Periodontal Health?
PubMed says that periodontal health hinges on four characteristics:
- Functional dentition -which includes the teeth, skull, and mandible.
- The painless function of a person’s dentition
- The stability of the periodontium also called the attachment apparatus
- The person’s mental and social wellness
What’s more, a periodontal apparatus that is not worsening in a person who is happy with how it works and their looks points to an equilibrium between their mind, mouth, and spirit. All these things reflect periodontal health.
Why is Periodontal Health important?
You can’t separate your periodontal health from your diet and oral hygiene habits. For example, binging on sugar products without drinking water is bound to create a suitable environment for bacteria and plaque, the two leading players in gum infection and periodontal disease. It also causes cavities.
Cavities occur when bacteria in the mouth found in plaque eat the sugars in your food and produce acids, which eat away at the tooth’s hard outer covering.
When you don’t clean your teeth properly –brushing twice a day, flossing once every 24 hours, regular professional cleaning, and using mouthwash to kill bacteria -you’re more likely to develop bacteria buildup.
This overgrowth is often the onset of gingivitis –a form of gum disease where the gum becomes irritated and swollen and may sometimes be painful or bleed.
If not treated, gingivitis graduates to periodontal disease, where gums start to disengage from the tooth leading to bone loss, loose teeth or tooth loss. Here are some signs you should look out for:
- Prolonged halitosis
- Reddish or inflamed gums
- Pink tinge when you brush consistent with gum bleeding
- Pain when you chew
- Loose teeth
- Tooth sensitivity
- A change in your bite
- Dentures that stop fitting as well as they used to
People who eat starch and calories with fewer proteins and vegetables are also more prone to developing periodontal disease because their diets do not contain teeth health-supporting minerals such as calcium, vitamins, and phosphorous.
Poor oral hygiene is also a canvas for developing other issues in your body. For instance, mouth bacteria can easily seep into your blood and find their way into other organs leading to these diseases:
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Pneumonia
- Low birth weight and premature birth
- Cancer
- Diabetes
Lastly, as PubMed maintains, feeling good about your appearance is part of periodontal health. You can’t feel good about it if your gums are painful, you have bad breath, loose teeth, cavities, or periodontal disease.
How Often Should I See A Hygienist for Cleaning and Evaluation?
Different conditions may call for shorter or longer windows between one check-up and the next but the ideal dentist visit for cleaning and evaluation is every six months.
It’s essential for exams, X-rays, cleaning, and other procedures that preempt or help catch dental diseases before they worsen.
For example, prolonged and untreated plaque forms tartar –also called calculus –which hardens around the tooth and can extend beyond the gum line, making it more difficult to maintain cleanliness. You can’t remove tartar without a dental hygienist’s help.
Still, the most significant responsibility of maintaining a healthy smile falls on you. Brush your teeth twice daily and choose fluoride toothpaste rubber-stamped by the ADA. Further, floss daily and back up your cleaning routine with antibacterial mouth wash to deter bacteria overgrowth and plaque.
It would also help to brush your tongue. The grooves on it can hide millions of microbes that cause halitosis and increase plaque formation.
Plus, avoid smoking. Smoking reduces oxygen in the blood causing infected gums to stay infected instead of heal. It’s also a catalyst for plaque formation, and if you have gum disease, smoking accelerates it, making it easier for you to lose your teeth and develop other illnesses.
What Else can My Dental Check-ups Help With?
Also, your dentist may recommend getting a fluoride treatment after professional cleaning. Fluoride treatments contain higher doses of fluoride than you’d find in standard toothpaste.
It strengthens teeth, prevents cavities, and may even treat cavities in their early stages. You can get fluoride supplements in pill form if your dentist prescribes them.
If you have kids under six years, taking fluoride makes the mineral part of the development of permanent teeth, significantly reducing the chances of developing decay and cavities.
Why you should Make a Healthy Smile your Dental Home
When all is said and done, you need a dental practice you can trust to take good care of your family’s oral health.
A Healthy Smile is a dental practice based in Bon Air, Virginia, the Historic District with quiet side streets.
Our out-of-network office is committed to providing flexible dental care because everyone deserves a healthy smile.
Being an out-of-network office means we accept most PPO insurance plans, but we are not tied to a particular network with any insurance carrier.
This means you get longer appointment blocks, dedicated assistants for cleanings, and various other services that eliminate the dread of the dentist’s office.
For instance:
- Private treatment rooms
- Hot Towels and pillows
- Aroma Therapy
We rely on the latest technology for accurate examinations and treatment. One of those is advanced 3D topographical scans using a Prexion CBCT and an iTero 5D+.
Combining the scans helps us keep detailed and accurate of your oral health, and we can closely monitor its progression or regression.
Using combined 3D scans also allows us to generate highly accurate models to diagnose and predict bruxism and sleep apnea. Contact us with any dental health concerns, and we’ll be happy to help.