Preventative dental care, especially dental exams, are a crucial component of preventive healthcare, and they can lead to early diagnosis and intervention for a wide range of oral health issues. Here’s how dental exams contribute to early diagnosis:
Regular dental exams, typically recommended every six months, play a crucial role in maintaining optimal oral health. Preventative dental care not only helps diagnose issues early but also allow for timely intervention and preventive measures, ultimately reducing the risk of more extensive and costly dental problems in the future.
Dentists can do so much more for us than find cavities or tell us how to properly brush our teeth! In fact, preventative dental care, especially dental exams, can provide us with detection and early diagnosis for multiple diseases and health issues. Our dentists are really our first line of defense and diagnosis for our overall health and our oral health – which go hand in hand.
According to Nico Geurs, DDS, chair of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Periodontology, and director of the UAB Dentistry Wellness Clinic…
“Diabetes, leukemia, and immune compromised patients will exhibit oral signs [of disease]. Many times, these are the first outward signs of the disease and a keen eye could facilitate the diagnosis. Oral health is not separate from overall health.”
Learn what The Mayo Clinic has to say about Dental Exams
According to The Mayo Clinic…
“Poor dental health increases the risk of a bacterial infection in the blood stream, which can affect the heart valves. There is also a strong connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease and evidence that people with diabetes benefit from periodontal treatment.”
The proof is in the pudding, as they say! A healthy mouth helps contribute to whole body health and vice versa. So, while you may just be brushing and flossing your teeth, you’re also helping the rest of you stay healthy.
Learn More: Early Detection Can Save Your Life: Oral Cancer and Gum Disease
Oftentimes, we don’t even notice some oral health problems unless they cause us pain or discomfort. Maybe we have signs and symptoms of a problem that we never would’ve noticed until later on, when issues have progressed.
Related Article: 11 Things Your Dentist Wants You to Do Differently
The good news is, your dentist can look for multiple signs and symptoms that show signs in our mouths – such as oral cancer, Crohn’s Disease, and other serious health problems. So, when you get your regular dental checkups, you’re doing so much more for your overall health and wellbeing. That goes to show you how amazing preventative dental care is for you and your family!
Learn more about the Preventative Dentistry We Offer for Kids
Bacteria in the mouth cause tooth decay – by feeding on the sugars in the foods and drinks we consume – they leave behind the waste, in the form of a biofilm known as dental plaque.
Our mouths have lots of bacteria that is usually harmless. (Did you know that the bacteria in our body aids with digestion and other biological tasks?) However, if you do not brush or floss regularly, oral bacteria can reach dangerously high levels. When this happens, tooth decay, gum disease, and oral infections can be the nasty result.
We talk a lot about the early diagnosis of disease during dental exams, here is evidence that the oral bacteria and high level of inflammation associated with the serious gum disease known as periodontitis can play a role in diseases in other parts of the body.
The following health issues and diseases are linked with poor gum health:
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Are you looking for a dentist in Lee’s Summit, MO? Learn more about how GPS Dental Offers Affordable Dental Care.
Nearly all oral diseases don’t cause pain until they are very advanced, so early detection through preventative dental care is key to stopping/helping any health problem. Make sure to see your dentist once every 6 months to stay on top of your overall health and wellbeing. Give us a call today to make your appointment!
If you’re looking for a new dental home, Dr. Caye and his Team at Premier Dental look forward to meeting you during your dental exam and cleaning. Preventative dental care and dental exams can detect signs of disease elsewhere in the body. Experts say infections inside your mouth can cause health problems in other parts of the body and signal diseases such as leukemia and diabetes. You may want to think twice before delaying your dental checkup, as you could be delaying early diagnosis.
Dr. Stephan Caye and his friendly, experienced team at Premier Dental offer affordable family dentistry and gentle dental care in the Lee’s Summit, MO area. Our office is conveniently located off of Highway 50 and SE Blue Parkway. We offer appointment times Monday through Friday to meet your needs. At Premier Dental, we provide most dental health services, from family and general dentistry to specialty procedures, including dental implants, dentures, endodontic or root canal treatment, teeth whitening, cosmetic dentistry, emergency dental care and much more. We accept most dental insurance plans and offer affordable financial solutions for any budget. Please call us at (816) 600-6330 to schedule an appointment.
We talk a lot about the importance of good oral health and that includes brushing, flossing, and seeing your dentist on the regular. Let’s take a deeper dive into brushing, more specifically, the tool you’re using to brush those pearly whites. You might ask yourself, “when’s the last time I changed out my toothbrush?” We often throw away old food, donate clothes, replace beauty products, etc., but adding a change into your routine to replace your toothbrush will have a bigger affect than you might think.
Related Article from The ADA: 8 bad brushing habits to break
Your dental exam can expose and help diagnose Oral Cancer and Gum Disease early …
You know that your dental team keeps your mouth healthy and clean when you schedule your dental exam and cleaning every six months, but did you know that getting regular dental checkups is the most important procedure against oral cancer and gum disease? Your dentist is doing a lot more than just checking up on your smile and making sure you don’t have any cavities. Preventative dentistry can detect early signs of cancer, gum disease, and other major health problems. All in all, preventative dentistry could save your life.
Let’s talk about preventative dentistry for kids. We want to spread the word about how poor oral health and cavities impact our kids’ health and quality of life. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), dental caries/cavities are four times more common than childhood asthma and three times more likely than childhood obesity. That means that the most common condition among children is largely preventable. In their 2021 State of Little Teeth Report, AAPD examined the epidemic of tooth decay among children. Check out the following key stats from the Report:
Each February we celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month! During the entire month of February, we focus on preventative dentistry for kids because we are passionate about children’s healthcare. Take this time to increase awareness about pediatric dental hygiene – and find out how you can best support your child’s dental care.
In one of your recent trips to the grocery store, you’ve probably seen the increase in natural products. Natural deodorants, skincare, organic snacks, and even all natural oral hygiene products. While the idea of all-natural toothpastes, mouthwashes, etc. sound appealing, are they as effective as what we’re used to?
According to Dentistry Today,
“The global market for oral hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpastes, and mouth rinses will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.29% from 2018 to 2022, according to Research and Markets.”
So, the demand for more natural ingredients and products is definitely true, but do the products work as well as traditional products?
At Premier Dental, our personalized touch is setting the standard for affordable family dental care in the Lee’s Summit area. Your dental experience and will have you forgetting why you were ever “fearful” of the dentist. Our laid-back atmosphere, gentle touch of Dr. Stephan D. Caye & his team, and the relaxing atmosphere & amenities will have you & your family looking forward to your next visit.
Dr. Caye doesn’t use a one-size-fits-all approach with his patients, instead he takes the time to work with each and every patient, one-on-one. Each patient needs a different and unique approach that is customized to their oral health. Almost all dental procedures can be done in-house at our location, which makes your appointments run smooth, with the best treatment options for you & your family.
We like offering comprehensive dentistry to our patients. What does that mean? At Premier Dental, you can receive preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatments all in one location.
Research suggests that postmenopausal women with gum disease are more likely to develop breast cancer than postmenopausal women who don’t have gum disease. Why? Let’s discuss how we can fight gum disease reduce breast cancer risk.
Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, can range from simple inflammation of the gums, called gingivitis, to periodontitis, when the gums pull away from the teeth leaving open spaces that become infected. The bacteria causing the infection and the body’s response to the infection can break down the bone and connective tissue that hold your teeth in place. If periodontitis isn’t treated, the teeth may become loose and must be removed.
You may not have heard of Periodontal Disease, if you visit your dentist regularly and you haven’t – that’s probably a good sign that you have healthy gums! Poor dental hygiene can lead to problems that are more severe than the average cavity or case of bad breath. Periodontal Disease is also known as Gum Disease and almost 50% of adults have some form it. Gum disease is most commonly the result of poor dental hygiene and is the inflammation of the tissue around the teeth, according to www.medicinenet.com. Here’s the scary part – if left untreated, it can lead to even more serious problems, ranging from tooth loss to heart disease. Knowing the signs, symptoms, and treatment for various stages of gum disease can set you on a proactive path to avoiding a disappointing dental visit.
We LOVE our Little Patients!! When you have small kiddos, like we do, it can be overwhelming to make sure you’re doing “all the things” to keep these tiny humans happy and healthy! To take some of the guess work out of this subject, we’re going to focus this blog on some questions about dental health for kids that we, as both dental professionals AND parents, can answer.
Educating families about dental health for kids is important to us. We see it as a great opportunity to promote the benefits of children’s oral health and hygiene. Developing healthy dental habits at an early age, including brushing and scheduling regular dental visits, helps children get a good start at having a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
We want all of our patients to have healthy and beautiful smiles and we love to help educate families about their dental health, so let’s get started!
While a simple toothache may seem benign, the truth is that a toothache isn’t something you want to take lightly. It’s your mouth’s way of telling you to that something isn’t right and to take a closer look. While a minor toothache may not be considered a dental emergency, a sudden and unexplainable one needs to be treated very quickly.
