The Basics of Dental Health

The Basics of Dental Health

Oral or dental health is related to your mouth, gums and teeth. The main idea behind maintaining dental health is to prevent any complications that could arise from neglect, such as gum disease and tooth decay.

Regular Checkups are Important

When it comes to maintaining dental health, one of the most important factors is to visit your dentist for a thorough checkup at least 2 times year. Your dentist will do a thorough checkup of your mouth, teeth and gums and check for cavities, plaque or any other infections. Many people are under the misconception that brushing 2 times a day and flossing regularly are more than enough to keep your teeth healthy. There is no doubt about the fact that these are very important in maintaining healthy teeth and gums, but it is not an alternative to visiting the dentist once or twice a year. No matter how well you look after your teeth, bacteria and plaque build-up tend to deteriorate the condition of the teeth. Ignoring this only worsens the condition.

Injuries to the Mouth

Any injury to the teeth and mouth can lead to dental problems. This is a common problem with young people who play sports. Even athletes sometimes suffer from mouth injuries that damage their teeth. It is important to wear a mouth guard while playing any contact sport. Even young children are more prone to damaged or broken teeth from falls while they are playing in the park or a ground. In case of a sport-related mouth injury, you will have to take the person to an emergency dentist, the person will be able to judge whether it is possible to fix the damaged tooth or an extraction is the only solution.

A Matter of Habit

Oral health is a matter of habit. Parents must inculcate the habit of maintaining good oral health, in their children, right from the point of time when they are very young. Another important fact is that when you take your children to a dentist on a regular basis, it will automatically turn into habit and they will not be averse to getting a dental checkup when they grow older. Postponing a checkup is one of the main reasons why people end up developing cavities. These cavities don't get detected and the problem only escalates over a period of time. Today, dental procedures have undergone a sea-change and they are no more as painful as people make them out to be.