Why Poor Dental Care Can Have Larger Repercussions Than You Might Have Thought

Many Australians today are investing in complex healthcare plans and spending good money to get full wellness exams. They want to be aware of the state of their overall health, and they want to take as many precautions as possible to stave off the onset of disease. While this is a good and proactive approach, many of these same people will put off a visit to the dentist, not realising the broader impact this may have. How can dental issues have a considerable impact on your general health?

The Silent Progression

For a variety of reasons, people are often just content to let their dental health "slide," even though they know that they shouldn't. They will continue to eat a typical Western diet, which is high in sugar. The acid contained in this type of food erodes the teeth gradually each day, and this process can go by unnoticed, while plaque builds up and starts to affect the gum tissue. Gingivitis can develop very quickly, but if you have recently noticed some evidence of blood when you brush your teeth, it's possible that you could now have a more serious condition, known as periodontitis.

This is where things start to get very serious, as this type of disease can foster significant inflammation in other areas of the body. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream and affect glucose levels, which in many cases can lead to the development of diabetes. Doctors also worry that this type of bacteria can lead to heart conditions and certain forms of cancer, so the challenge is not simply in your mouth.

What Can Be Done?

Hopefully, this news should be enough to scare you into taking action. If so, it's good to know that the dentist can greatly improve the prognosis for anybody who has periodontitis. To start off with, a dental technician will start to clean the teeth by scaling and root planing. In some cases, a course of antibiotic treatment may be needed to clear up the infection. Then, modifications will be suggested to the daily diet and a full plan will be put in place to bring plaque under control.

Making Sure That Your Planning Is Complete

You may not think that you have periodontal disease, but when was the last time that you went to the dentist? In addition to taking great strides to prevent illness with advanced screening, make sure that you also visit your dentist as often as you should.


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