Did you know that diseases of the mouth affected half of the world’s population, according to a 2016 study? Dental health is integral to overall health as much as mental health, skin health, and cardiovascular health. If you frequently suffer from toothaches, painful gums, sensitivity after eating cold or hot foods, you are far from alone.
If you’re not taking care of your dental health, it will cost you much more in the long run. At the least, you may have to undergo costly dental treatments more regularly or have your quality of life reduced by having dentures fitted in older age; this prevents you from enjoying certain foods. Here are some tips to maintain your teeth and dental health and ensure you have healthy teeth at every stage of your life.
Everyday care
You can take care of your teeth every day with a few simple morning and nightly routines. This includes brushing your teeth with a sugar-free fluoride toothpaste, flossing, and using an antiseptic mouthwash. All this helps keep your gums healthy, prevent tooth decay, stop bad breath, and can also maintain overall physical wellbeing.
To keep your teeth as healthy as possible you should avoid acidic or sugary foods that may decay the enamel on your teeth. Eating clean also has an added physical health benefit!
Regular dental checkups
You should also see a dentist every six to twelve months to maintain your teeth and have them identify any potential problems such as encroaching tooth decay, tartar buildup, or other oral diseases. They can at the very least correct these problems with on-the-spot procedures such as fillings or crowns. Dentists and oral hygienists can also perform cosmetic procedures such as whitening; orthodontists can correct overbites or crooked teeth. Dentists can also advise on how to clear up bleeding gums, gingivitis, and strategies for dealing with sensitive teeth. These all have varying costs, so ask your dentist for prices or whether they’re covered under health insurance.
Dentists can also detect oral cancers and lymph node diseases before they become problems. These sorts of diseases may not cause any discomfort – so they will need specialist equipment for a dentist or specialist to diagnose.
Emergency dental work
Unfortunately, our teeth aren’t invincible despite our best efforts at keeping them clean and healthy. We may chip teeth; have them knocked out by falls or accidents or require emergency root canal surgery. Some adults may need emergency wisdom tooth removal. Medicare doesn’t cover every type of emergency dental work – and some root canals can cost upwards of $1,100. Paying for emergency dental can prove troublesome if you don’t have health insurance or significant savings, which may mean you’ll have to take out a small cash loan. Whatever you need done, don’t delay – it can mean the difference between saving a tooth and having it rot and cause complications.
Remember to take care of your teeth – because after your baby teeth fall out, they’re the only ones you have!
