People have many reasons to go to the dentist regularly. For many, going to the dentist is about keeping your “pearly whites”, well, white. Having a healthy smile goes a long way in keeping us mentally and emotionally happy and healthy. Physiologically speaking, when the muscles that are used to smile fire, they trigger a release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters and neuropeptides that decrease stress and improve your mood. Individuals with healthy and pretty smiles tend to smile more often. Beyond esthetics, good dental care is vital for a host of other reasons.
Dental caries is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States. Among children, it ranks first, 5x more common than asthma. Dental caries is primarily caused by bacteria that break down food into acid that wears through the enamel. The bacteria will continue to advance through the tooth until they have reached the pulp. This process can lead to pain, infection and eventually tooth loss. In children, premature loss of teeth can cause dietary restrictions and spacing deficiencies. Furthermore, spacing issues can lead to malalignment of the adult dentition, which can in turn snowball into a multitude of other dental problems.
While untreated dental caries can lead to tooth loss, the most common cause of tooth loss among adults in the United States is periodontal disease. Using the house and foundation analogy, if the homes are the teeth, the gums, bones and surrounding periodontium are the foundation. Periodontal disease is caused by the accumulation of plaque and calculus on tooth surfaces, which leads to the presence of toxic bacteria in the depths of your gums. The result is bone loss, which can lead to tooth loss. Additionally, chronic oral infections have been associated with many other diseases such as heart and lung disease, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s and dementia among other systemic conditions.
But beyond healthy teeth and gums, visiting your dentist regularly can be crucial in catching oral cancer. According to the oral cancer foundation, “close to 53,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer this year and it will cause over 9,750 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. Historically, the death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development.” At our office, we perform oral cancer screenings at every routine exam. Additionally, if there are any suspicious areas, we can utilize adjunctive devices for oral mucosal screening.
People have many reasons to avoid the dentist. Some are afraid of being in the chair. Others are afraid of the potential damage to their wallets. Whatever the reason may be, avoiding the dentist almost always costs more in the long run. Prevention is affordable, neglect can be expensive. Additionally, avoiding the dentist can lead to a lifelong battle with your teeth and gums and in cases of advanced oral cancer, much worse. It’s never too late to get started on a path towards good oral health. With good oral hygiene and regular dental visits, it is entirely possible to maintain your own natural teeth for a lifetime.