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Why Is Oral Hygiene Important?

Why Oral Hygiene Is Important?
Posted on 01/11/2019

The Importance of Oral Hygiene

As your trusted Walnut Creek dentist, we want you to know how vital it is to maintain the best oral hygiene possible. At Panoramic Dental, we offer a wide array of dental treatments in order to achieve that goal and keep your smile bright. The compassionate dentists and staff in our Walnut Creek, CA, office understand that having a healthy mouth not only means having a confident, beautiful smile, but it also means having a healthy body. Your oral health has proven to have a significant impact on the health of the rest of your body.

How Oral Health Impacts Your Teeth

Maintaining good oral hygiene protects your teeth and gums from decay and disease. When bacteria combine with saliva and sugary starches in your mouth, plaque can form on your teeth. Plaque is a thin coating that covers your teeth and in between your teeth and can eat away at your enamel, causing tooth decay and discoloration. Plaque can also cause serious gum disease that can lead to the loss of teeth. Panoramic Dental provides general treatments for tooth decay such as fillings that are important to preserve your teeth. When decayed teeth have to be extracted, and are not replaced with dental implants, you can find yourself with crooked teeth and negative impacts on speaking and eating.

How Oral Health Impacts Your Body

Your mouth is actually an accurate picture window to see what is going on inside your body. Doctors can not only diagnose ailments using your saliva and other mouth-related data, but they have also determined that an unhealthy mouth can be the cause of infections and diseases.

  • Diagnosing Systemic Disease. Your saliva can tell your doctors a lot about what is happening in your body. By analyzing your saliva, doctors can detect illegal drugs, toxins, hormones and antibodies that might point to hepatitis or HIV infection and more. Doctors believe that saliva testing may someday take the place of blood testing for other diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s, cirrhosis of the liver and more.
  • Source of Infection. When your mouth is not clean, plaque can form along the gums and cause infections like gingivitis, periodontitis, and the more serious, trench mouth. Your mouth, with its many growing bacteria, can also cause infection to seep out into the rest of your body. Normally, this doesn’t happen, but if you have diseased gums or tooth decay, these can allow an entrance point for the bacteria that can then travel through your bloodstream. If you have a weakened immune system, it’s possible that your body can have trouble fighting off these bacteria and this bacteria can cause an infection in other parts of your body.
  • Causing Disease. Recent research has confirmed the connection between poor oral health, namely gum disease, and systemic diseases and conditions such as:
    • Heart disease
    • Diabetes
    • Cancer
    • Lung disease
    • Pre-term birth

How You Can Maintain Your Oral Health

Your Walnut Creek dentists at Panoramic Dental want you to maintain that perfect smile. Practicing good oral health just takes knowledge and the time needed to make it happen, Here are some ways you can keep your mouth clean and healthy.

  • Brush Twice a Day. The first step toward good oral hygiene is to brush your teeth at least twice a day with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste. Brushing after every meal is best; but at the least, brush in the morning and before bed. The friendly staff at Panoramic Dental can offer tips on the best ways to brush for you or your children.
  • Floss Daily. Plaque often develops between the crevices of your teeth so flossing every day is important in removing that plaque buildup and any food particles left behind from meals.
  • Rinse with Mouthwash. Rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash is a great way to add protection for your teeth and killing the bacteria that can cause plaque to form.
  • Eat Nutritious Foods. Cheese, yogurt, fruits, and vegetables are all great foods for your teeth and will help prevent tooth decay. However, this tip is also as much about what you don’t eat as it is about what you eat. Cut down or even avoid sugar-heavy foods such as sodas, candy, or chocolate. If you happen to consume food high in sugar, make sure to brush your teeth afterward.
  • Regular Dentist Cleanings. While taking care of your teeth at home every day is imperative to a healthy mouth, visiting your Walnut Creek dentist for regular checkups and cleanings are equally as important. During these regular visits, your Panoramic Dental dentist will examine your teeth for any signs of tooth decay or gum disease and the dental hygienist will thoroughly clean your teeth and gums.

Visit Your Walnut Creek Dentist Today!

The dentists and staff at Panoramic Dental look forward to helping you and your family maintain the best oral hygiene possible. We are here to answer any questions you may have about how oral hygiene impacts your mouth and your whole body. Just give us a call at 925-934-3251. Or, if your ready to schedule your first visit, call or use our online appointment form to schedule a time at our Walnut Creek office that is convenient for you. Let’s get started today!

Panoramic Dental

  • Panoramic Dental - 2225 Olympic Boulevard, Walnut Creek, CA 94595 Phone: 925-934-3251 Fax: 925-934-2136

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