There is absolutely no shortage of health advice online…in fact, there’s too much to sift through in an entire lifetime! Fortunately, most tips (from credible sources) boil down to the same three tips: eat a balanced diet, exercise, and make sure you get enough sleep. One important thing most skip, however, is that visiting your dentist is extremely important as well, not just for your smile, but your overall health. Dental hygiene appointments give your dentist the chance to identify all sorts of potential issues early so they can be treated right away, some of which can affect much more than your teeth and gums! Read on to learn about a few of the problems your dentist can help solve and even prevent with regular checkups and cleanings.

Chronic Bad Breath

No one’s breath smells good all the time (particularly in the morning), but for most people, simply brushing their teeth or popping in a mint is enough to make everything fresh again. For some, however, this just isn’t enough. The bad breath never seems to go away no matter what they do, making social situations awkward for everyone involved. In many cases, chronic bad breath is a symptom of either gum disease or inadequate oral hygiene. The solution to both? Go see a dentist! They can help identify and treat gum disease at your routine checkups, and if there is something you can do to improve your daily brushing and flossing, they can help with that as well. They’ll also show you how to prevent the problem from coming back!

Headaches

Do you frequently experience headaches, and you can’t seem to make them stop? One of the most common (yet underdiagnosed) sources of head, neck, and jaw pain is TMD, or temporomandibular joint disorder. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the set of hinges that connects your jaw to the rest of your head and allows it to move freely in all directions. Whether due to a crooked bite, an injury, or strain from nighttime teeth grinding (aka bruxism), this can lead to dysfunction in the joint and muscle pain that manifests itself as…headaches! Routine checkups can help prevent the bite issues that lead to TMD headaches in the first place, but if you’re already experiencing them, your dentist can identify and treat the underlying cause as well, stopping pain and improving your oral function at the same time.

Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s…

These diseases affect millions of Americans and lead to countless deaths each year, but did you know they all have a connection to oral health? In many cases, these conditions actually have early signs that appear in the mouth, allowing dentists to identify them during checkups so a patient can begin treatment as soon as possible. Plus, regular cleanings can also help control and minimize the levels of harmful bacteria in a patient’s mouth, which has been shown to drastically lower someone’s risk for all of these general health problems.

Basically, regularly seeing your dentist isn’t just great for your smile, but the rest of you as well! The American Dental Association recommends that patients of all ages should get just two checkups and cleanings each year, which is not a lot to ask when it comes to avoiding all of the issues listed above. Whether it’s been six months or six years since your last dental visit, you’ll be doing yourself a big favor by scheduling one sooner rather than later.

About the Author

Dr. Adam Cohlmia is a general and family dentist who has been serving El Reno families for nearly a decade. Prevention is extremely important at his practice, and over time, he’s found that this conservative approach helps a patient enjoy better overall health while spending less on their care—what’s not to love?! To get helpful dental tips you can use every day or schedule you or your child’s next checkup and cleaning, click here.