The Real Cost of Dental Care: Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Your Teeth

Since teeth are the sturdiest tissue in the body, they tend to be neglected by some people. Or they don’t take precedence in people’s daily routines. Others may be too cavalier about their teeth and develop other dental issues. But, your oral health is essential to your overall well-being.

That’s why our dentist in Georgetown, TX, recommends that you clean your teeth at least twice each day, not forgetting the regular dental visits. These oral hygiene practices will go a long way to ensure that your smile remains healthy for a long time. If you don’t care for your teeth, it will cost you financially, and your overall well-being will be greatly affected.

Introduction: Why Oral Hygiene Is Important

Brushing, flossing, and using antibacterial mouthwashes, are a collective set of daily practices known as dental hygiene. Another facet of dental hygiene is visiting our dentist in Leander, TX, from time to time for checkups.

The reason for practicing proper oral hygiene is to ensure that your teeth are bacteria- or plaque-free. The number one enemy to your dental health is bacteria, so we are trying to reduce the bacterial populations in the mouth.

Dental hygiene prevents or reduces your risk of developing cavities and gum disease. Cavities and gum disease usually have severe implications on your oral health. Cavities, if left untreated, can lead to tooth infections and, eventually, tooth loss.

Gum disease comes with other unappealing symptoms, such as bad breath, swollen gums, loose teeth, receding gums, and tooth and bone loss.

Both periodontitis and cavities are caused by excess bacteria on the tooth or along the gumline. The problem is that if these issues are not treated, they might develop into other issues.

Therefore, you might look at oral hygiene as a way of preserving your teeth, gums, bone mass, and facial structure.

On a broader scale, you may not realize that your oral and overall health are tethered. What you might overlook or think as a non-issue can turn out to be something that can affect your overall health.

For instance, a simple cavity can lead to a tooth infection. If the tooth infection is untreated, it can spread to other areas such as your jaw, neck, cheek, under the eyes, etc. Now it turns into a medical emergency since the infection has spread.

Also, research shows that certain diseases are linked to gum disease, such as pneumonia, endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy complications, etc.

The Consequences of Ignoring Your Teeth

Neglecting your teeth can lead to several dental issues, and as mentioned earlier, it may impact more than your mouth. So some of the risks that lie in wait if you neglect your teeth are:

Bad Breath

Onions and garlic are not the only things that can alter your breath. Poor oral hygiene is usually the main factor in causing bad breath. This is because bacteria that cause plaque release sulfur when they digest food, which causes bad breath.

Cavities

Cavities are formed when you don’t remove them through brushing and flossing. Bacteria will continue to bore holes in your teeth until the structural integrity of your teeth deteriorates.

Gum Disease

Your gums are not supposed to be tender, swollen, and bleeding. However, this results if you don’t clean your teeth using the proper techniques to ensure that you remove the bacteria lodged along the gum line.

Tooth Loss

Tooth loss is usually inevitable when you miss caring for your teeth. Even if you have cavities or gum disease, seeking treatment at Liberty Hill dental will ensure that these issues don’t escalate any further.

How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy

Having a healthy smile is a lifetime commitment. Even though your teeth are healthy and attractive, you must tirelessly take care of them daily. You must be mindful of the following:

• Brushing your pearly whites using the correct toothbrush and toothpaste twice each day
• Your tongue needs cleaning, so clean it every day
• Floss to remove food debris from the hard-to-reach areas
• Use antimicrobial mouthwashes once a day
• Drink plenty of water
• Each teeth-friendly foods
• Limit sugary foods

We cannot miss mentioning that there is another part of a healthy oral routine: visiting our dentist in Georgetown, TX, at least twice each year.

Contact us at Prime Dental of Liberty Hill to schedule an appointment.