When many folks hear the word dentist, they cringe. They think of it as a scary word. But the dentist is a nice person. The key to a friendly relationship with the dentist is twice-yearly visits. The health of your mouth is important for a variety of reasons. And it’s even more true in Florida. A Fort Lauderdale dentist can maintain your teeth in pearly-white shape. If your teeth are generally in good condition but don’t look perfect, Fort Lauderdale cosmetic dentistry can be the solution.
But, while the cosmetic side of dentistry is important, other aspects of oral care are much more important. The most important aspect is actually some distance from the mouth. It has been clearly shown that the health of the mouth has an effect on the health of the heart. People with gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart disease. There are two causes. The first is the bacteria associated with gum disease. They can enter the bloodstream through the open sores of the infected gums and travel to the heart. The second is the inflammation. Inflammation anywhere in the body is harmful to a person with heart disease.
Gum disease is also, obviously, bad for the teeth. If allowed to progress to a severe stage, the person is in danger of losing teeth. While dentists these days have many options for dealing with missing teeth, none of these replacements is in any way as good as a person’s own teeth. If the lost teeth are not replaced, the remaining teeth can fill in the gap and increase the spacing between the teeth. Although dentures give you a beautiful smile, they can be very uncomfortable. Implants have been available for many years now. They have been refined over the years, but they still consist of metal spikes embedded in the jaw.
Gum disease isn’t the only reason for losing teeth, however. Tooth decay is the other most common cause. While many options are available to prevent decay, it cannot be totally prevented. Since some amount of decay is inevitable, regular dental visits are needed to repair the damage while it is still minimal. Keeping the teeth in good repair will put off the day when the damage is so severe that putting a crown on the tooth is the only option for retaining the teeth.
Even the most well maintained teeth may not satisfy your vanity. In America, it is expected that the well-put-together person will have a perfect or almost perfect smile. This perfect smile is achieved through cosmetic dentistry. There are many options to eliminate imperfections from the smile. Braces will align crooked teeth. Veneers will beautify what braces won’t by putting a small false front on the tooth. Discolored teeth can be made white.
People who are afraid of the dentist are people who don’t have regular visits. With two visits per year, the dentist can do small, easy things to keep the teeth in good shape. In addition, modern dentistry has many ways of preventing pain and anxiety.
