Franklin 
Once it’s understood how interwoven your total wellness and oral health are, taking steps to improve and maintain the condition of your teeth and gums becomes a necessity. It all starts with better education, though. Therefore, your dentist in Tyler weighs in to list 5 reasons why taking a more proactive approach to your dental health is the most advantageous route.
Reason #1 – Prevents Complex Conditions
One of the main ways to make life easier is to schedule preventive care visits every six months for cleanings and examinations. In doing so, your chances of preventing plaque and tartar accumulation are much better.
This is significant because the primary cause of most complex oral health conditions is untreated bacteria growth.
Reason #2 – No Unnecessary Suffering
Dental care negligence can, many times, result in suffering in some form or fashion. An oral health malady can unfold in one of the following ways:
- Tooth loss
- Painful toothache
- Bleeding and irritated gums
- Lingering, sour taste in the mouth
To reiterate, the above conditions can usually be avoided by maintaining regular visits to a dentist. It’s also important to perform proper oral hygiene on a consistent basis and eat healthier foods.
Reason #3 – Saves Money
Preventive care visits are typically fully covered by dental insurance. That’s not the only way you see cost savings, though.
Taking a more proactive approach to your oral health prevents the need to address complex developments down the road that require involved and costly restorative procedures.
Reason #4 – Preserves Your Smile
Your teeth are held in place through a system of shared tension, the root structure, ligaments and bone. If there is a failure in just one of these areas, the tooth can be compromised and could eventually fall out.
That means you could be left feeling insecure about smiling and unable to eat the foods you normally would.
Reason #5 – Contributes to Your Overall Health
When there is accelerated bacteria growth in your mouth, the problems can be far-reaching. One of the conditions it can lead to is gum disease, which is the inflammation of the gums.
The danger of the latter is that, untreated, it has been found to be linked to the development of heart disease, oral cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, pancreatic cancer and other serious health problems.
The good news is, you have an opportunity to protect yourself and maintain a beautiful smile by committing to scheduling your preventive care visits in advance and being sure to keep your appointments. Your proactive efforts will be all-around beneficial!
About the Author
Dr. Donna Franklin-Pitts is a graduate of Howard University. Throughout her career, she has remained dedicated to providing her patients with top-notch and compassionate care. Thus, she maintains membership in several professional organizations, which include the Smith County Dental Society, the East Texas Dental Society and others. Dr. Pitts provides preventive dentistry at Franklin Dental Center, and she can be reached for more information through her website.