A Little Preventive Care Goes a Long Way
Dental care is not only about preserving a wonderful smile! Research has found there is a connection between oral health and overall health. Chronic oral infections like periodontal disease can be indicators of stroke, diabetes, heart and lung diseases, and even lead to low-weight pre-term births.
How does the connection work? The connection works in two ways. Oral disease can be an early symptom of diabetes, stroke, or other serious disease. It can also provide dangerous bacteria with easy access to the blood stream (through inflamed gums). If it goes unchecked, it can increase the possibility of developing health complications later in life, or worsen current health conditions.
The good news is that if caught early, most oral diseases are easily treatable. Seeing a dentist every six months not only lowers the risk of developing an oral infection, it may lead to an early diagnosis of a more serious disease.
Young Children with Dental Cavities a Rising Trend
According to a federal survey studying oral health among children from 1999-2004, nearly 28% of children ages 2 to 5 had at least one cavity. This represents a 4% increase from the previous 1988 to 1994 survey.
Continual snacking and the use of non-fluoridated bottled water were attributed to the increase of cavities, both of which have been on the rise in recent years. Immigrants who have never been educated on preventive dental care are also another attribute. On a positive note, the survey reported a steady decline in overall tooth decay among children ages 6 and up.
The survey demonstrated a need for parents to ensure that their young children are being provided with enough fluoride. The results were released in April 2007 by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Oral Health and Work Productivity
When it comes to work productivity, it pays in more than one way to maintain healthy teeth. Oral health can affect how well you perform at work, how many hours you spend in the dentist’s chair, and ultimately determine your future dental costs.
Good oral health can help bolster your job performance. Being comfortable and confident at work can directly impact how you are perceived as an employee. By not taking good care of your teeth you are opening yourself to the need for emergency care, and possible problems with speaking, chewing, and swallowing. All or any of these can jeopardize your confidence and bring discomfort to the job. Additionally, if you are uncomfortable with the appearance of your teeth, research shows that you are less likely to smile … and that could also hamper the self-assurance you need to perform well at work.
Spending too much time at the dentist’s office? The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2000 report on oral health estimated that working Americans lose about 164 million hours annually due to dental disease or dental visits. That includes the time parents took to attend to the needs of children with dental-related illnesses.
Instead of using up all that personal time in the dentist's office, encourage good oral hygiene at home. With regular preventive care visits to the dentist, you and your family can save that personal time for a more rewarding family vacation.
Getting preventive care today will save you money tomorrow. Another good reason to maintain a healthier mouth is cost. The American Dental Hygienists’ Association estimates that every $1 spent on prevention in oral health care saves $8 to $50 on restorative and emergency procedures. Restorative and emergency procedures can be very costly, and may even require more than one visit to the dentist to be completed.
Preventive care can help lower the risk of developing an oral illness and reduce the need for restorative or emergency procedures -- and it’s cheaper, too.
Oral Cancer
Have you had an oral cancer screening recently? Oral cancer is no joke. According to the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov), 29,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer every year.
Most doctors and dentists can provide an oral cancer screening (where they check your entire mouth for signs of cancer), so make sure you ask to have a screening included as part of your routine exam.
Free screenings are also provided by the Yul Brenner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation. Visit www.headandneck.org for a complete list of locations.
If you have any of the following, you may want to contact your dentist or health care professional for a diagnosis.
Signs and Symptoms
- Persistent mouth pain
- Mouth sore that doesn’t heal or increases in size
- Lumps or white, red or dark patches inside the mouth
- Thickening of the cheek
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing, or moving the tongue
- Difficulty moving the jaw, or swelling or pain in the jaw
- Pain around, or loosening of teeth
- Numbness of tongue or elsewhere in mouth
- Lump in neck
- Bad breath
Research has linked the following high risk factors to oral cancer:
- Tobacco use
- Alcohol
- Sun
- Diets low in fruit and vegetables may also be factor
- Personal history of head and neck cancer
