April is Oral Health Month in Canada
Celebrated in April, Oral Health Month in Canada reminds everyone how important regular dental checkups are.
Regular dental checkups with your dentist in Yorkville usually mean less invasive treatments. For example, if you have just noticed a bit of blood on your toothbrush it could be gingivitis. However, if left untreated that gingivitis will progress to periodontal disease. If you have periodontal disease, the treatment is much more invasive.
The same thing goes for toothaches. Tooth decay doesn’t heal itself. A small cavity will develop into a larger one. Larger cavities usually require larger fillings and a dental crown. Regular dental checkups always prevent things from getting worse.
Oral Health Month for Overall Health
It’s hard to ignore the connection between oral and overall health. Missing, cracked, and chipped teeth affect your quality of life emotionally, mentally and physically. Sturm & Associates recommends that you practice good oral hygiene.
Good oral hygiene means brushing twice and flossing once each day, but it also means eating a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals, regular dental checkups, and regular comprehensive dental checkups.
Regular Checkups for Overall Health
Research shows a connection between oral and overall health. While no one knows exactly why, the consensus seems to be inflammation.
Gingivitis and the more serious periodontal disease cause bleeding, swollen and red gums. If it progresses, pockets form between the teeth and gums. Those pockets allow food debris and bacteria to enter the blood stream. This could lead to heart disease and stroke.
What is a Comprehensive Dental Exam?
During a comprehensive dental examination Sturm & Associates will examine your teeth and gums, take x-rays and digital pictures. Your old restorations will also be examined to make sure you don’t have any broken, cracked, or leaky fillings. However, there is much more to a comprehensive dental exam.
A comprehensive dental exam takes things one-step further. During a comprehensive dental exam, your dentist in Yorkville will check your neck, throat, head, and entire mouth cavity looking for anything suspicious.
If lumps, bumps, red or white patches, or anything that doesn’t look right is discovered, a biopsy is usually performed for further investigation.
When discovered early on, people suffering from mouth, tongue, cheek, and lip or throat cancer have a better chance of survival. Sadly, most oral cancers are not detected until they require extensive treatments. Some of those treatments cause facial disfigurement and other issues.
Oral Health Month in Yorkville
The best way to celebrate Oral Health Month in Canada is to schedule an appointment with Sturm & Associates. Giving your teeth and gums a clean bill of health is just as good for your mouth as it is for the rest of your body.
