Dental and Oral Health: Some Essential Things You Should Know

Oral and dental health is one of the most important parts of your well-being. If you lead poor dental hygiene, you will face various oral issues such as gum disease and dental cavities. As per reports, dental issues are also linked to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Maintaining proper health of your gum and teeth is undoubtedly a long-term commitment. Flossing, brushing, and limiting your intake of sugary foods and drinks will help you avoid long-term health issues and expensive dental procedures.

Facts about Oral and Dental Health

Gum disease and dental cavities are extremely common amongst Americans. As per World Health Organization:

More than 55% of school children have at least one dental issue.
More than 95% of adults at least have one oral problem.
More than 100,000 suffer from oral cancer yearly.
More than 20% of adults aged between 37 and 47 don’t have any natural teeth left.

There are numerous steps you can take to ensure proper oral health. For instance, you can reduce the risks of dental and oral problems by:

Brushing your teeth twice a day
Avoiding sugary foods and drinks
Flossing your teeth once a day
Avoiding tobacco products

You need to seek professional dental care if you think you’re suffering from oral issues. Consider contacting Huntington Bay dentist Kate Brayman DDS for the best dental advice and treatment.

What are the Symptoms of Oral and Dental Problems?

You should never wait to visit your dentist until you start showcasing symptoms of dental issues. When you visit a dentist twice a year, they will be able to catch the problems before it starts becoming fatal.

If you face any of the following dental issues, make sure you contact the dentist as soon as possible:

Chronic bad breath
Receding gums
Broken or cracked teeth
The clicking of the jaw
Swollen or bleeding gums
Pain when biting or chewing
Teeth sensitivity to cold and hot foods and drinks

If you experience high fever and neck or facial swelling along with these symptoms, make sure you seek emergency medical treatment, as these symptoms can be linked to oral cancer. Click here to access the Best Doctor in UAE.

Why Do Oral and Dental Issues Occur?

The oral cavity residing in your mouth will collect different types of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Some of them are responsible for creating the normal flora of your mouth. Even though they don’t pose any threat in smaller quantities, following a sugar-rich diet will allow the bacteria to flourish. Apart from dissolving the enamel of the teeth, the acid from the sugary foods will also cause dental cavities.

The bacteria present near the gum line will develop a sticky matrix known as plaque. The plaque will accumulate, harden and migrate down the length of your teeth if you don’t take enough precautions by flossing and brushing. This will undoubtedly inflame your gum as well as cause severe oral issues known as gingivitis.

There are multiple factors that will contribute to periodontitis and gingivitis, including:

Smoking
Genetics
Diabetes
Frequent consumption of sugary drinks and foods
Heartburn
AIDS OR HIV

How Can You Diagnose Oral and Dental Diseases?

When you visit a dentist for a yearly dental exam, they will help you diagnose most of the oral and dental problems. During the dental exam, your dentist will inspect your throat, teeth, mouth, jaw, neck, and tongue closely.

The dentist might also perform scrapping at your teeth with the help of various dental instruments so that they can diagnose better. They will take X-rays of your teeth and mouth.

The Connection between Oral Hygiene and General Health

For the past couple of years, the importance of oral health has risen amongst adults. This is because researchers have discovered the link between underlying systemic conditions and declining oral health. They have proved that maintaining healthy oral health will allow people to maintain a healthy lifestyle. As per reports, inflammation and oral bacteria might be associated with:

Low birth weight
Heart disease
Premature birth
Endocarditis

The bacteria that reside in your mouth can spread to your entire body through your bloodstream, which will cause infective endocarditis. Keep in mind that infective endocarditis is undoubtedly one of the most common life-threatening situations affecting the heart valves.

What Men Should Know About Their Oral Health?

As per the American Academy of Periodontology, most men don’t pay close attention to their dental and gum health. Compared to women, fewer men take time to brush and floss twice a day. Not to mention, men also avoid seeking proper dental care.

Throat and oral cancer are also extremely common amongst men. A study in 2008 stated that adults with a periodontal disease history are more vulnerable to developing other types of dental issues. Men need to pinpoint the causes as well as consequences of oral issues. This way, they will be able to take proper action early. As per Health, oral health is important for older adults.

What Women Should Know about Their Dental Health?

Due to the changing hormones at various stages of their lives, women are also at risk of various oral problems.

When the menstruation cycle starts, women might experience swollen gums during their periods. Apart from that, the hormone level will also increase during pregnancy. The increased hormone will also enhance the saliva of the mouth. Women can face morning sickness, which will cause frequent vomiting. Consider seeking dental care during your pregnancy. However, make sure you let your dentist know that you’re pregnant.

During menopause, your body will become super vulnerable to various gum diseases due to the lower amount of estrogen in the body. Some women can also face BMS or burning mouth syndrome during menopause.

What Should You Know about Oral Health if You Have Diabetes?

Diabetes will affect the capability of the body to fight bacteria. This means that people who suffer from the symptoms of diabetes have a higher risk of developing different types of oral problems, periodontitis, and gum infections.

This is why people with diabetes need to properly care for their dental health. Apart from controlling the body’s blood sugar level, they also need to brush and floss daily.