National Dental Care Month: How to Care for Your Smile

May is National Dental Care Month. This month serves as a reminder on why caring for our teeth is so important. While dental hygiene is taught at an early age, it quickly becomes just another item on our to-do list each day. However, if you are just going through the motions of cleaning your teeth, you could be at risk for dental and overall health issues. Here is how to care for your smile this month — and year-round. 

National Dental Care Month: Why Caring for Your Smile is Important 

National Dental Care Month is a good reminder of why you should be caring for your smile. Maintaining dental health is important for keeping your teeth, gums, and smile healthy, however, it can also affect your overall health. The American Dental Association (ADA) explains that your mouth serves as a window to the health of your body. It can show that there are signs of nutritional deficiencies and even general infections. Further, certain systemic diseases that affect the entire body, like diabetes, AIDS, and Sjögren’s syndrome, could first be noticed by mouth lesions or other oral health issues. 

The ADA explains that the mouth is filled with countless bacteria, some of which is linked to tooth decay and gum disease. Researchers have found that severe gum disease, known as periodontitis, can be linked to other health problems like cardiovascular disease, stroke, and bacterial pneumonia. Further, pregnant women with periodontitis could be at risk for delivering preterm and/or delivered a baby with a low birth weight. 

While more studies are needed, researchers do suspect that bacteria and inflammation in the mouth that is linked to gum disease plays a role in some system diseases and conditions. Alternatively, diseases like diabetes, blood cell disorders, HIV and AIDS can lower your body’s immune system making you more susceptible to severe oral health conditions. 

Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene

Your teeth are meant to last you a lifetime. Knowing that, and knowing how your dental health can affect your smile and your overall health, it’s important to maintain good oral hygiene. To keep a healthy smile, the CDC recommends you:

• Brush your teeth twice a day, thoroughly. Use gentle, circular motions and be sure you are cleaning the entire surface of each tooth. 
• Floss daily to remove plaque and food that can get lodged between the teeth. 
• Add fluoride to your routine. Drink fluoridated water and brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Quit smoking and tobacco use.
• If you have diabetes, work to maintain control over it. This will help lower your risk for gum disease, but treating gum disease can also help lower your blood sugar level. 
• When taking medication that causes dry mouth, ask your doctor for different medication options that don’t have that side effect. If you can’t avoid dry mouth, be sure you are staying hydrated, chewing sugar-free gum, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol. 
• Visit your dentist twice a year, even if you don’t have any natural teeth and only have dentures. 

Visit the Dentist During National Dental Care Month

Routine cleanings and exams are an important part of maintaining good oral hygiene. If you’re overdue for a dentist appointment, make an appointment to come see Dr. Kevin Varley and our team at Stonebrook Family Dental this National Dental Care Month. 

No matter how healthy you think your smile is, you need to see the dentist for a regular checkup. Unfortunately, you can’t see all areas of your teeth and gums with your own eyes. A routine checkup will include a professional cleaning and exam, but sometimes additional procedures might be needed depending on your current oral health. Each routine will include a consultation before any additional treatment is done. 

Your visit will include:

• Sharing your medical history. With certain conditions like we’ve discussed, you might be more susceptible to dental health issues that we need to keep an eye out for. 
• Cleaning. This might be the most important part of your checkup. A regular cleaning will be provided if you don’t have any signs of gum disease. If we do notice gum disease, a deeper cleaning of the gums might be needed. 
• Dental exam. Once you have had your teeth cleaned, Dr.Varley will review your X-rays and examine your teeth closely for signs of decay and other dental health issues. 
• Oral cancer screening. This is a routine part of each checkup to make sure your mouth has no areas of concern. 
• Diagnosis and treatment planning. Depending on what we see during your cleaning and exam, we will offer recommendations on what needs to be done to help you maintain your oral health. 

Make an Appointment with Stonebrook Family Dental 

National Dental Care Month is here. Protect your oral hygiene and overall health by making an appointment for a routine cleaning and exam with Dr. Varely and our team today.