Dental Hygiene: How it Affects Your Health

If you think proper dental care is only about keeping your teeth clean, think again. Dental hygiene can have a profound effect on your general health as well. Cleaning and flossing your teeth 2 to 3 times daily to remove plaque and debris should be a vital part of your healthcare regime. Other dental hygiene steps include eating a balanced diet and scheduling regular visits to your dentist for exams and professional cleanings.
If you do not maintain excellent dental care, plaque will have an opportunity to accumulate on your gums and eventually turn to tartar. At this point, only your dentist can remove the tartar, usually with a procedure called scaling. If the tartar buildup is not removed, you can develop gum disease.
Periodontitis is a serious form of gum disease. Periodontitis causes weakness of the jaw bone, resulting in loose teeth that may eventually fall out or require extraction. More importantly, periodontitis has been definitively linked to strokes, diabetes, and heart disease. The infection from periodontitis can enter the blood stream and be carried to other parts of the body, including the arteries. Studies show that patients who have excessive oral plaque and bacteria have a higher risk for strokes and heart disease.
Taking the time and making the effort to maintain excellent oral hygiene will benefit not only your dental health but also your general good health. Schedule a consultation with your Bastrop dentist to make sure your oral hygiene habits are effectively protecting your health.
If you need a dentist in Bastrop, contact us today