Most people don’t think much about how their general health is connected to their dental health. However, there is a strong link between compromised dental health and conditions like cardiovascular disease, infections and even dementia. Pregnant women with periodontitis, a severe gum disease, run the risk of premature birth and baby’s low birth weight. A lot is riding on your dental health, not just a pretty smile. Fortunately, dental health is within reach for most people.
Replace Lost Teeth
Many people lose teeth during their lives due to illness or trauma, and some simply develop fewer than 32 adult teeth. Whatever the reason, a large gap between teeth can have serious drawbacks. Other teeth may move into the space, becoming crooked and causing biting or chewing difficulties. Worse, over time the jaw itself will deteriorate triggering permanent bone loss. Partial dentures and bridges are only temporary and do not halt bone loss, so the best solution is a dental implant. Dental implants Brooklyn offer a permanent, natural-looking solution that replaces the unsightly gap with a beautiful and fully functional tooth.
Avoid Tobacco
There are a hundred reasons to avoid smoking and chewing tobacco such as ill effects on heart and lung tissue. Add dental health to the list. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking lowers a body’s ability to fight infection, making you more vulnerable to gum disease and slowing down healing. It also speeds up bone loss along the jawline. Smokeless tobacco is worse—it scratches enamel and wears down teeth along the gum line, hastening the loss of both soft tissue, dental matter and bone.
Brush And Floss
Just as your dentist and your parents told you taking care of your teeth and gums begins and ends with daily brushing and flossing. Doing so will help prevent cavities, bad breath and bacteria-related conditions such as ulcers. In diabetes patients, better gum care has even been shown to reduce inflammation and improve diabetes control. Take good care of your teeth, and you will have a lot more to smile about.
