Dentistry isn't just about maintaining your oral health, it can be about maintaining your full body wellness too.
Visits to the dentist will help you prevent cavities, gum disease, oral cancer, and many other serious oral conditions. But what about preventing diseases in other areas of the body? We may think that that is what our regular physician is for, but the dentist can actually tell if you may have some other serious illnesses based on warning signs that occur inside the mouth.
Your dentist can actually be a helping hand in diagnosing you with diabetes. Those with diabetes are more prone to infections than most others are. One of the first places that these infections are likely to occur is within the mouth. Now your dentist may not be able to tell from the very first infection that you get that it is caused by diabetes, however it is very possible that your dentist can tell that your infections are being caused by diabetes after your second or third infections. If you suspect you may have diabetes, one way to find out is to ask your dentist about any recurring infections you may be getting. He or she will be able to tell you if those infections fit any of the signs of having occured from diabetes.
And there are many other illnesses that a quick look in the mouth can help detect. For one, dentists can help detect oral cancer through a regular dental check up or through the ViziLite oral cancer detection system. Oral cancer is difficult to self-diagnose, so it is important that you make a visit to your dentist to keep track of your oral health. Dentists may also be able to detect other cancers because of swelling in the jaw or throat which could be related to cancers in those areas.
Many people don’t know this, but dentists are a key factor in detecting eating disorders early, before they have a chance to cause serious harm. With eating disorders like bulimia, the teeth come in constant contact with stomach acid which can erode away the enamel of the teeth and cause the teeth to become discolored. This is the first warning sign of an eating disorder, and dentists are usually the first to spot them. Sensitive teeth and dry mouth can be other symptoms of eating disorders which will send up a red flag to your dentist.
Regular oral care will also help prevent major illnesses of the body. Certain types of heart disease and cardiac arrest have been linked with gum diseases and periodontal infections. It is important to see your dentist regularly not just for your oral health, but for your whole body health as well. Part of keeping your body healthy is about keeping your mouth healthy too!
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Green Beer? Try Green Teeth
This Saint Patrick’s Day thousands of people across the U.S. will be going out to celebrate with lots of delicious green foods like green cakes, green cupcakes, green chocolate, green eggs and ham, and even the popular Saint Patty’s Day hit green beer. But all this green food has one thing in common: green food coloring. In small doses green food coloring can be a fun way to brighten up your food or play along for Saint Patrick’s Day, but after eating green food coloring all day a person’s teeth will quickly start to show that green dye.
