Tacoma Dental
Good dental health is important not just for your teeth and mouth, but for overall body-health. Here at Tacoma Dental your health is important to us. Sadly many people believe that brushing and flossing are enough for good oral care, and that should their teeth fall out, dentures are always available, this being some far-away event that is difficult to even imagine. This is far from the truth. Poor mouth health creates health problems that most people would never associate with the condition of their teeth.
In addition to good teeth habits at home, you should schedule regular check ups with your dentist. No one wants to lose their teeth, but often that isn’t incentive enough to get people to call us here at Tacoma Dental. Think about these facts:
Periodontal disease, commonly understood at gum disease, is a direct result of poor oral hygiene. Periodontal disease leaves gums swollen, red and bleeding. This is only the beginning of the process of decay. As the gums continue to degrade, the infection spreads to the bone that underlies your teeth and gums and begins to attack it. Once that bone decays, there is nothing to hold up your teeth and gums.
Even more surprising is the link that has been made between poor dental health and heart disease. Watching your cholesterol is important, but equally important is taking care of your teeth and gums. The same bacteria that is found in plaque build-up is being discovered in the arteries, which leads to arterial inflammation and is also suspected of increasing the chances of blood clots. Increased danger of blood clots means an increased danger of stroke, and indeed, the same periodontal bacteria found in the arteries leading to the heart are also being found in the carotid arteries of stroke victims. By evaluating someone’s overall dental health it is possible to determine whether that person is in danger of experiencing heart disease. The answer, make an appointment to visit your Tacoma dentist for a check up on your potential teeth problems. This simple process can greatly reduce your chance of heart attack or stroke.
Another consequence of poor hygiene is that of respiratory issues. Weak lungs can be further weakened and left vulnerable to lung diseases by simply inhaling the bacteria associated with periodontal disease. Memory loss is also being linked to periodontal disease. The same way the periodontal bacteria leads to inflammation and thickening of the arteries to the heart can lead to thickening of the arteries leading to the brain, resulting in memory loss.
Poor hygiene can also lead to cancers. Cancers of the mouth, tongue and throat seem clear, but more frightening is the connection to esophageal cancers, cancers of the head, neck and even lungs.
The American Dental Association, also known as the ADA, recommends visiting your dentist twice a year for dental check ups. Call your Tacoma office today and make an appointment. You could be saving yourself from a plethora of health issues later.
