Dentist in Bixby, OK: The Importance of Preventive Dentistry

It is essential to visit your dentist in Bixby, OK to keep up with preventive care. This is why preventive dentistry is so important.

According to the NCBI, Oklahoma residents aren't taking dental care as seriously as the rest of the US population. Poor oral health exposes both adults and children to a variety of serious health issues, like cardiovascular disease.

Don't wait until you start losing teeth or feel ill due to poor dental care. If you're serious about your health, it's time to take the basics seriously.

Keep reading to find out more about the importance of preventive dentistry and how a dentist in Bixby, OK, can help protect your smile.

Understanding Regular Check-Ups and Cleanings

Good dental health begins at home with regular brushing and flossing, but preventive dental care also involves some more proactive measures to ensure the ongoing health of your mouth.

These include ongoing steps to prevent oral health issues like enamel erosion, tooth decay, and gum disease. Routine visits to your local dentist are vital as a backup to your daily oral healthcare routine.

The average dental check-up takes about an hour. It includes deep cleaning to remove plaque that builds up despite regular brushing and flossing.

Hardened plaque, called tartar, is impervious to tooth brushing. Only a trained dentist or oral hygienist can remove it.

Check-ups provide opportunities for trained practitioners to identify early warning signs of things like periodontal disease before they become major issues.

During a check-up, dentists check for signs of deterioration, like:

• Discolored or soft enamel
• Tartar and plaque build-up
• Signs of separation between the gums and teeth
• Indicators of mouth or throat cancer

To get the best benefits of preventive oral care, the ADA recommends visiting your dentist at least twice a year.

The Cost of Skipping Routine Dental Services

Unfortunately, many people delay or avoid preventive dental care due to the costs involved. Professional dental services can seem expensive to those who don't have adequate health insurance, but they save you money in the long run.

Moneywise, routine dental check-ups cost a lot less than restorative services, which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. That's not to mention the other costs associated with skimping on basic dental care. These include:

Discomfort

Your mouth contains numerous nerve endings, making it a hotspot for intense pain if things go wrong. Preventive dental care limits the likelihood of pain from tooth decay and gum disease.

Time in the Dentist's Chair

Many people have an unfounded fear of visiting their dentist. That's because some dental treatments take a long time and involve fear-inducing procedures like drilling. 

Regular visits for benign tooth cleanings and check-ups help save you from these feared procedures.

Embarrassment and Low Self-Confidence

Clean, healthy teeth make for an attractive smile. Chipped, cracked, and missing teeth are unattractive and can make some people avoid social interactions out of embarrassment.

Tooth decay causes bad breath which erodes your confidence and negatively impacts your self-image.

Lifelong Negative Effects

Those who engage in regular preventive dental care develop good oral hygiene habits. This is particularly important for children, who could suffer from poor oral health for a lifetime if they don't learn the correct routines early on.

Poor Performance at School and Work

Nobody can concentrate when they're in pain. In this way, poor oral health can seriously impact a child's learning ability.

Toothache and mouth pain cause employees to miss work and children to stay home from school. The CDC estimates that children miss 34 million hours of school every year due to dental issues.

Additionally, oral problems like cavities result in decreased appetite, an inability to focus, and depression among children. In turn, these factors lead to poor academic performance.

Routine Visits Can Prevent Serious Illnesses

Your mouth is an ideal habitat for bacteria, including harmful ones. By keeping your mouth clean and disease-free, you prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for more life-threatening conditions.

Doctors associate the following medical conditions with poor oral hygiene, gum disease, and oral infections:

Heart Disease and Stroke

Bacteria present in the mouth due to gum disease can leach into your bloodstream. This gives them access to your heart valves, where they can cause a severe infection.

Inflammation and infection sometimes make the blood more likely to clot. This increases your chances of suffering an ischemic stroke.

Pneumonia

It's easy for bacteria from your mouth to enter the respiratory system when you're asleep. There they multiply and enter your lungs, where they cause the formation of microbes that cause pneumonia.

Dementia

In older adults, tooth loss can result in nutritional deficiencies and chemical imbalances that affect the brain, making it more susceptible to dementia.

Poor oral hygiene and gum disease may also lead to inflammation, raising the risk of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. This can increase the chances of developing dementia. 

Cancer

When left to thrive unchecked, mouth bacteria can infect the mucus membranes of the mouth and throat, leading to changes in cell growth.

In addition, tooth decay and infection can delay cancer treatment, placing patients at risk. 

Tips to Keep Your Teeth in Excellent Shape

Apart from regular visits to the dentist, a balanced diet goes a long way toward keeping your teeth healthy.

Include calcium-rich ingredients in your meals and avoid sugary and acidic foods. Dark green leafy vegetables, beans, broccoli, and seeds are tasty sources of calcium. 

Sufficient calcium intake reduces the likelihood of jawbone deterioration. Sugar nourishes unhealthy bacteria, and acid can erode your tooth enamel.

Vitamin C, found in green vegetables and fruits, helps combat gum inflammation. If you drink water from a well, you should consider taking fluoride to help prevent tooth decay.

Finding a Dentist in Bixby, OK

Whether you're new to the area or looking for a dentist who will help soothe your dental anxiety, we can help. Our team of qualified and experienced professionals is committed to keeping you healthy and happy, thanks to expert preventive care.

We offer a full range of routine procedures, advanced cosmetic options, and full-mouth restorations. Reach out to book your appointment with our family dentist in Bixby, OK, today.