Most people know that they should receive a dental checkup every 6 months for good oral health, but some still fail to do so. According to the ADA, 42% of American adults admit to not going to the dentist as often as they should, while 15%, unfortunately, say they made their last appointment because of experiencing tooth pain. By that point, there may be costly repercussions for not going to a regularly scheduled dental exam.
In this article, we examine why dental exams are crucial for your health and why we shouldn’t let dental anxiety keep us from the dentist.
Dental Health for Over-All Health
Your oral health offers many clues about your overall health and that problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body?
Normally the body’s natural immune system, good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing, and regular dental exams keep your mouth’s bacteria under control. However, without proper oral hygiene and dental visits every 6 months, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease.
The mouth is filled with countless bacteria, some of which are linked to tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. Researchers have found that periodontitis (the advanced form of periodontal disease that can causes tooth loss) is linked with other health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Gum disease is one of the most common chronic inflammatory conditions in the world, yet it’s often gone unnoticed until it’s too late. Ongoing inflammation in your mouth can allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream, which may lead to more inflammation in other parts of your body, such as the heart.
Regularly scheduled dental exams greatly reduce the risk of bacterial inflammation that could lead to other health problems down the road.
Do You Suffer from Dental Anxiety?
If dental anxiety is severe and results in irrational fear and complete avoidance of going to the dentist, it can be technically classified as dental phobia.
Avoiding dental exams can result in dental disease and a greater risk of needing emergency dental care or more complex treatments. Resulting in more costly dental visits that could have been avoided.
Regular dental check-ups and X-ray screenings can help you prevent dental disease and help our dentist find any problems early so that simpler and less invasive treatments can fix your oral health situation.
Ways to Cope with Dental Anxiety
One of the greatest tools for overcoming fears is to have positive experiences negating those fears. To do that, it can be helpful to move beyond the anxiety. These tips can help you overcome, or at least manage, your dental anxiety, so you can get the oral health care you need for the sake of your dental and overall health.
Some coping techniques that can assist some patients include:
- Deep breathing
- Meditation
- Distraction (such as listening to music or the use of TV screens)
- IV Sedation
East El Paso Dentist is here to help you have positive dental experiences in our comfortable, clean, and friendly dental office. Our staff has been professionally trained to help ease your anxiety by being knowledgeable and professional. We can answer any questions you have about dental treatments and financial options.
Schedule Your Next Dental Exam!
Call us at (915) 621-2880 today or visit our Contact Us page to send us a message. Our professional dental team is highly trained in gum disease prevention which is more important now than ever!