Diseases and disorders that damage the teeth and mouth can disturb both your self-esteem and well-being. Oral health is an important factor of how people experience quality of life. People with many missing teeth have to limit food choices because of chewing problems, resulting in nutritionally poor diets. Missing teeth can also lead to self-consciousness that limits social interaction. To avoid problems like these, practice thorough oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly.
Step One
Prevent Gum Disease - Visit your dentist regularly to protect your mouth and teeth against gum disease. Gum disease causes damage to teeth and tooth sockets and is one of the main causes of tooth loss in adults. Regular visits to the dentist combined with good oral hygiene will help you keep your natural teeth.
Step Two
Improve Your Appearance - Your dentist can perform several procedures to make your teeth look better and thus improve your overall appearance. Imperfections in your teeth can be covered with bonding, and missing teeth can be replaced with implants and dentures. Children benefit from dental braces when they have perfectly straight teeth later in their lives.
Step Three
Prevent Cancer - Oral cancer is a serious condition, but usually curable if diagnosed early. During your regular dental check-up and cleaning, your dentist also screens you for oral cancer.
Step Four
Detecting Other Health Problems - Symptoms of other health problems are often detected during dental check-ups. Gum bleeding, for example, can indicate serious medical conditions, such as leukemia, bleeding or platelet disorders. Computer programs that analyze routine dental X-rays can detect the bone-thinning condition osteoporosis.