Did you know that having poor oral health can lead to dental problems ranging from small cavities or sensitive teeth all the way up to periodontal disease?
These oral health problems can impact your relationships, mood, quality of life, dental health, and overall health. Unfortunately, largely due to the cost of dental services, a third of people in Toronto (Canada’s largest city) don’t go to the dentist because they don’t have any dental insurance, according to CBC.
Thankfully, preventing these issues is easier than paying your taxes and should still be prioritized as our government is unlikely to change our health care system, and avoiding the dentist leads to a lot of pain. All you have to do is practice oral hygiene and visit your dentist for regular exams to prevent these dental problems.
Our dental clinic in London Ontario will give you advice on how to prevent dental problems and maintain good oral health along with when you should come see us.
What exactly is oral health?
Great oral health consists of having a healthy mouth, gums, and teeth while avoiding dental problems like cavities, gum infections, tooth erosion that causes pain or discomfort to your tooth enamel.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dental diseases are among the most common chronic diseases worldwide with over 3.5 billion people experiencing one of these conditions.
What are some symptoms of dental problems?
- Toothache
- Loose teeth
- Teeth sensitivity to air or cold/hot foods
- Teeth changing colour
- A clicking jaw
- Swollen Cheeks
- Gum Pain
- Bleeding/swollen gums
What are the most common dental problems?
- Tooth cavities (prevent this by brushing & flossing daily, use a fluoride mouthwash and limit frequent snacking)
- Gum disease (prevent with consistent deep-cleaning procedures that can be done by your dentist)
- Tooth erosion (dentist treat this with tooth bonding or by using veneers or crowns to prevent future damage)
- Cracked or chipped teeth (the options for this treatment could include bonding, crowns, a root canal, or even a tooth extraction depending on your examination)
- Tooth sensitivity (treat sensitive teeth by avoiding hard to chew foods and switching to a Sensodyne brand of toothpaste specifically for sensitive teeth
- Tooth Appearance (you can treat tooth appearance with a combination of teeth whitening, dental veneers, implants, and Invisalign)
- Impacted teeth (depending on how the tooth is affection the tooth may need to be removed or the teeth blocking the affected tooth may be corrected with eruption aids)
- Oral cancer (the risk of oral cancer can be prevented by not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and having regular oral cancer checks to catch this disease early when it is still treatable
When should I see a dentist?
You should contact your dentist if you experience a toothache, sensitivity to hot or cold, and if you have swollen gums.
If you have had dental treatments like fillings, orthodontics, dentures, or crowns you should also get a regular dental check-up to ensure that everything checks out with your teeth.
You should also have regular dental checkups while you’re pregnant as this can worsen dental problems (60-75% of pregnant women have gingivitis and are at risk of getting cavities).
You may even need an emergency dentist appointment if you experience more chronic conditions like jaw pain, gum problems, mouth sores or spots, and even difficulty eating.
Dental problems are very common health conditions that most people ignore until they become more serious which is a dangerous decision. These dental problems can affect your self-esteem, nutrition, and quality of life.
Therefore, you should do everything that you can to maintain great oral health (It can also avoid Alzheimer’s) by brushing your teeth regularly, going for regular dental check-ups, and limiting sugar intake.
