Top Reasons to Invest in Your Smile and Oral Health
Did you find yourself wishing your smile was perfect? Well, it’s about time you stopped wishing and started taking action! Investing in your smile is a great way to take control of your oral health. It takes years off your appearance and boosts overall confidence. Also, it’ll surprise you how your finances benefit too.
Healthgrades reports that San Francisco has an abundance of dentists, with 1,686 practicing professionals and a remarkable average rating of 4.4/5! With the high caliber of quality dental care available around you, finding a reliable dentist shouldn’t be hard.
Let’s go through the top reasons to invest in your smile and overall health.
Finding the Right Dentist
Finding a good and reliable dentist is the first step to investing in your smile. Researching the dental professional that you plan to visit will save you time and money down the line. Consider their experience, qualifications, services offered, customer reviews, and location.
For instance, for bone grafting or facial trauma, your local family dentist may not be able to provide the best care. So, you’d have to look for an oral surgery clinic in San Francisco for specialists in those treatments.
What Does it Mean to Invest in Your Oral Health?
Investing in your dental health boils down to two main things:
- Preventive care, like scheduling regular check-ups and cleaning appointments
- Follow-up treatments, like scaling, polishing, and restorative procedures
This proactive behavior is fundamental for the health of your teeth and gums in the long run. It’s also a great way to catch dental problems before they become more serious and require expensive treatments.
Preventative Care
Implementing a few changes that prevent diseases from occurring in the first place is more cost-effective than investing a lot of money in treatments. Things like brushing and flossing twice a day, eating a balanced diet with little sugar, and drinking plenty of water are great ways to maintain dental health.
Recommended Dental Treatments
Depending on your needs, your dentist may suggest more advanced treatments. For example, regular teeth whitening and sealants can help brighten your smile and protect your teeth from decay.
Or, you may need a crown or bridge to replace missing teeth and help restore function and aesthetics.
Reasons to Invest in Oral Health
Improved Self-Confidence
Your smile is a precious asset that helps you build strong connections with other people. It radiates warmth, kindness, and friendliness. Thus, it’s important to keep your teeth looking healthy and attractive so that you don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed to show them off.
Investing in your smile can do wonders for your self-confidence. It can also make it easier for you to engage in meaningful conversations and make friends. From job interviews to social gatherings, with a beautiful smile, you’ll be sure to leave a positive mark.
What’s more, self-confidence also improves your overall mental health. It allows you to feel comfortable in your skin and be more at ease with yourself.
Lower Health Care Costs
The mouth is teeming with bacteria, most of which are innocuous. But, because the oral cavity connects to our digestive and respiratory systems, some pathogens can travel to other areas in the body and cause infection. From digestive problems to systemic health problems, these bacteria can wreak havoc on your well-being if left unattended.
All these diseases require treatments and medications, which can be expensive. That’s why investing in oral care can help you save money in the long run.
Regular check-ups and preventive care can identify issues early on, saving you from expensive treatments in the long run.
Lower Chances of Tooth Loss
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a shocking 47.2% of Americans suffer from mild, moderate, or severe gum disease. Even more alarming is that this figure rises to 70.1 percent among adults aged 65 or above. It means almost three out of every four senior citizens in America may be at risk!
Periodontitis can cause gum recession, tooth decay, and even tooth loss. That’s why it’s important to take the necessary precautions and invest in your dental health to enjoy a life free from oral health complications.
Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that affects memory, cognition, and behavior. Oral health can play an important role in reducing the risk of this devastating brain disorder. Maintaining inadequate oral hygiene can cause a buildup of bacteria in the mouth and contribute to gum disease. It, in turn, may lead to inflammation that increases the likelihood of beta-amyloid plaques forming in the brain and consequently resulting in dementia. We all realize how dementia and Alzheimer’s can dramatically affect our quality of life.
Therefore, it is important to invest in your dental health and prevent the risk of developing this terrible condition.
Prevent Lung Diseases
We often take the basic necessities for granted. Take breathing, for instance. We don’t realize that poor oral health can directly impact our respiratory system.
Poor oral hygiene can lead to periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease that can promote the entry of bacteria into the bloodstream and eventually reach the lungs. It can damage the alveoli, resulting in excessive coughing and difficulty breathing. Asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) are two of the most common lung diseases associated with poor oral health.
But if caught early and treated properly, many of these diseases can be prevented or managed. So, prioritize your dental visits and keep these diseases at bay.
Avoid Triggering a Fake Immune Response
Unchecked bacteria can leave a trail of destruction that travels far beyond your mouth. Periodontal disease and tooth decay wreak havoc on oral health, but they don’t stop there. Bacterial overgrowth has the potential to set off an inflammatory response throughout the body when it finds its way into our bloodstream. This inflammatory response causes the liver to release C-reactive protein (CRP).
Initially, it may appear to be a normal and acceptable response. But if CRP is continuously being released, it can trigger other additional health complications.
Conclusion
Investing in your oral health can help you maintain that winning smile and keep expensive treatments at bay. Regular dental visits, brushing and flossing twice daily, and a healthy diet can help ensure you stay on the path to wellness. So, visit your dentist today and make the right choice for your oral health.
It’s not just about physical appearance; it’s about investing in your long-term health. Make the right choice, and start smiling with confidence!
