Regular dental care is essential for maintaining your oral health. Many people live with untreated tooth decay or advanced gum disease.
Poor oral health is usually always associated with many chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. These problems pose an immediate health risk and require urgent care. There are also some less urgent dental problems that can have long term negative effects.
How to visit your dentist during a pandemic?
Dentists are known to have made many changes to the way they conduct patient care to improve safety and comply with new standards imposed on the spread of Covid-19. As much as patients, you should therefore be reassured when visiting your dentist.
As dentists postpone elective dental treatment, many people make home care their first line of defense.
– The consumption of carbohydrates and the secretion of acid promote the creation of oral bacteria which systematically cause dental caries.
-Periodontal disease is reflected in chronic inflammation of the tissues that support the teeth, also called gum disease.
Both of these conditions are caused by a poor diet, smoking, a weakened immune system, and poor oral hygiene.
You can fight these and other conditions by controlling your dental plaque – the soft, sticky material on teeth and gums made up of saliva, food debris, and bacteria. In fact, over time, dental plaque produces dental tartar, thus promoting the formation of bacteria that cause dental problems.
Studies show that using an electric toothbrush is more effective at cleaning teeth and gums than a regular brush. Alcohol-free mouthwash is also helpful, but is not a substitute for brushing or flossing.
If you experience constant dental pain, it is recommended that you visit your dentist within 24 hours. If you can’t do this, you can try limiting your intake of sugar, as well as other foods and drinks that contain carbohydrates, such as soda, juice, coffee, sweet tea, and candy. You don’t have to avoid them altogether, of course, but cutting back on both can be hugely beneficial. Avoid hard, sticky foods which can make the pain worse and cause more damage.
Painful urgency is felt when the pain becomes unbearable. Here are some cases where going to the dentist is essential:
Medications prescribed for depression and anxiety have been known to cause dry mouth, which is seriously detrimental to oral health. Increased anxiety is linked to bruxism, clenching or grinding of the teeth. Excessive consumption of tobacco and alcohol is not good for your teeth. Poor nutrition can also be a source of many health problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can significantly damage your teeth.
