Statistics released from a study by the Oral Health Foundation in conjunction with Colgate Palmolive indicate that as high as 84 percent of adults in the UK are at risk of suffering from dental decay. This alarming statistic is all the more worrying considering the fact that dental decay is one of the most preventable diseases that is experienced. There are a number of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing tooth decay – all of them being choices made by the individual. These risk factors include medium to high sugar diets, failure to follow recommended tooth brushing guidelines (brushing twice a day), chronic medical diseases like diabetes, taking certain medications that create dry mouth or which contain sugar and skipping out on regular dental check-ups at a professional dentist Richmond.
Many people associate loss of natural teeth with getting older but this need not be the case. Provided one looks after natural teeth well, one can have use of healthy dentition for life. The loss of natural teeth directly impacts the quality of life in a negative way (problems with biting and chewing, speech impediments, loss of a confident smile), necessitating the individual to seek restorative dental solutions. Annual or bi-annual dental check-ups serve an incredibly important function in helping children and adults keep their natural teeth for as long as possible and avoid the pain and cost of treating tooth decay and related problems.
Dental pain is often the first telling symptom that all is not well with dental health but there are signs that indicate that a tooth is in danger of decay before pain is felt. A trained dental practitioner knows exactly what red flags to pay attention to. More than this, a dental practitioner is best placed to introduce suitable dental interventions to rehabilitate affected teeth before it is irreversibly lost to decay. It is these preventable interventions that are of invaluable benefit to oral health. Dental check-ups protect the aesthetics of a smile. For a smile to be deemed attractive, teeth and gums need to be in top condition. Gums need to be disease-free, and teeth need to be in correct alignment, bright and without imperfections (gaps, chips and cracks). A dental practitioner can ensure there are no issues such as staining, discolouration or threats of gum disease to detract from a winning smile.
Dental check-ups protect gum health. Gum health is critically important not only to support healthy teeth and a great smile but also to protect physical health. Medical researchers have compiled a body of scientific evidence that links oral bacteria responsible for gum disease with numerous medical conditions that can be life-threatening. Many bad bacteria found in the mouth such as streptococcus mutan have been linked with complications to cardiovascular health. A few lifestyle behaviours also put oral health at risk. Smoking, teeth grinding and using teeth for opening and tearing materials other than food are dangerous to dental health. An experienced dental practitioner is able to detect evidence of these undesirable behaviours and can offer suggestions on how to avoid doing them.
Tooth loss and other dental problems can interrupt one’s everyday routine. The only way to minimise the occurrence of dental problems is by attending routine check-ups at a dental practice.
