How a Dentist Can Help Protect Physical Health

Patients have long heard the golden rule of dental care – attend routine dental check-ups at a dentist in Nailsea at least once a year to protect teeth and gums.

They know that a dentist in Nailsea can help protect their smile and keep their teeth strong and healthy, offering many years of confident biting and chewing.

Even though it is widely accepted that good dental health is important to minimise the likelihood of dental emergencies or pain and discomfort due to tooth decay or gum inflammation, the phenomenon of dental anxiety continues to keep patients away from the dental chair. Without proper professional dental care, patients will suffer from needless pain and will find their daily tasks hindered due to this pain.

Fortunately, for patients who are anxious about receiving dental care, dental clinics such as our Nailsea Dental Practice accommodate the needs of nervous patients. We have a compassionate and competent dentist in Nailsea who is skilled in the care of nervous patients and makes available numerous management techniques to alleviate patient anxieties. In this way, we can ensure patients get the care they need to protect the integrity of their teeth and gums.

How dental health and overall health relate to each other

Apart from cavities and gum disease, many are unaware of the serious harm that dental neglect can cause to the body. This is because the pathogenic bacteria responsible for these poor oral health conditions do not just remain in the mouth.

Bad oral bacteria can easily find their way into the bloodstream, and they can be transported to other areas of the body. This may be why researchers have detected the presence of bad oral bacteria known for causing gum inflammation and disease in the vessels and arteries of the heart. This is also why there is a great concern for patients with gum disease to be also at risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke or vulnerable to lung infections and diabetes complications.

In addition to this, gum disease may also be an indicator of mental illnesses such as depression, dementia and even Alzheimer’s.

If an overrun of bad oral bacteria can wreak such havoc, then to avoid these unwanted complications, the answer would be to keep bad bacteria in the mouth under control. Getting rid of the entire bacterial microbiome in the mouth is not an option. There is no targeting bad bacteria without eliminating the good kind, too. And, as it is with gut bacteria, we need the good kind in the mouth for a variety of reasons. First, healthy oral bacteria are needed to digest food. Secondly, they help in keeping bad bacteria in check. It is only when an imbalance occurs that tilts in favour of bad bacteria that problems are created.

An ideal solution would be to have teeth and gums regularly inspected for signs that indicate the presence of bad bacteria is out of control. Our dentist may want to implement a few changes to a patient’s oral hygiene routine and suggest the necessity of dental cleanings and other suitable treatments to restore a healthy pH balance in the mouth.

A visit to our Nailsea Dental Practice for a comprehensive dental check once a year is the best way to secure healthy teeth and gums for life. Don’t wait. Contact our reception desk today to set up a check-up appointment that is suitable for you.