Dental Blogs

While it's common knowledge that regular teeth cleanings are critical for oral health, a lesser-known fact is that maintaining a healthy mouth also impacts overall health. Preventing cavities and gum disease might be the intent of visiting your dentist twice a year, but you’re actually practicing whole-body health with those consistent dental visits. From heart disease to preventive care, following are the various benefits of oral care that extend beyond the mouth.

Maintaining good oral hygiene for a healthy mouth and beautiful smile means visiting your dentist twice annually for a cleaning. For various reasons, ranging from lack of time to lack of insurance, some individuals never quite get into the routine of regular dental cleanings. Once they’re in a position to take control of their oral health, they often wonder, “What happens during a teeth cleaning?” This is also the question often asked of children when they’re about to see a dentist for the first time.

We’ve all heard from our dentists that a healthy mouth is indicative of good overall health—and that is quite literally the case when it comes to your heart. Periodontal disease, a common yet often underestimated oral condition, has emerged as a potential contributor to heart issues.

Dental crowns are one of the most common dental procedures, which are used to restore and protect damaged teeth. They are the go-to solution for many patients who present with cracked, decayed, or weakened teeth that are causing discomfort or pain. However, dental crowns aren’t a perfect science and are prone to some issues, from sensitivity to falling off. 

Sleep is essential for our physical and mental well-being, however, not everyone enjoys a peaceful night's rest. Sleep apnea is a fairly common sleep disorder that affects millions of individuals, compromising both their sleep quality and overall health. 

While being told you need a tooth extraction is the last thing you want to hear from your dentist, it’s sometimes the necessary solution to prevent further issues from tooth damage or decay. It’s among the most common dental procedures used to improve oral health and involves completely removing a tooth from its socket. Dentists, periodontists, and oral surgeons all perform tooth extractions, with more complex cases such as impacted teeth often being referred to oral surgeons.

Dental X-rays are a proven diagnostic tool that helps dentists detect oral health issues, such as cavities, fractures, or gum disease. There are both intraoral X-rays which are those taken inside the mouth, and extraoral, which are taken outside the mouth. With X-rays, dentists can examine tooth structures that they aren’t able to see during a routine examination, such as the jawbone, nerves, gum tissue, sinuses, and teeth roots.

Restorative dentistry is the practice of repairing or replacing teeth, with the primary goal being to improve oral health and chewing function—and in many cases, these procedures also improve an individual’s smile. Restorative dentistry is performed by general dentists and is ideal for patients with cavities, tooth decay, damaged or broken teeth, or missing teeth. It is often confused with cosmetic dentistry, which is focused exclusively on improving the appearance of the mouth and teeth.