This two-part article series provides professional tips as well as at-home advice for keeping your teeth and gums – and smile – in great condition.
Welcome back to this two-part article on the Seven Secrets for a Healthier Smile! In the first installment, the Houston dental implants experts we consulted with discussed the importance of flossing as well as going for regular, scheduled appointments with your family dentist and oral hygienist. It was explained that if your fear of the dentist is keeping you from seeking professional healthcare, then it might be time to find someone a little more gentle and compassionate. Last, but not least, readers were cautioned that no amount of pre-appointment brushing and flossing will be able to mask the damage done by your bad habits! Dentists can tell from the appearance of your teeth, gums and other soft tissues just what you’ve been up to!
Now, let’s check out the remaining three secrets for a healthier smile.
5. If you wait until a problem causes you pain, it’s probably too late to fix!
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you don’t have an oral problem unless it hurts. Oral bacterial infections by their very nature don’t tend to cause pain other than some mild localized sensitivity. A cavity also won’t hurt until it actually exposes the delicate insides of your tooth, at which stage infection and decay could require you to have a dental implant placed by a Houston specialist! In addition, oral cancer (which could present as a strange lump, white patch or other abnormality) can be totally pain free. Regular appointments with the dentist are the only thing that can help in the early detection and treatment of potentially severe, or even fatal oral maladies.
6. Seeing the dentist about an oral problem could actually save your life!
Few people truly realize just how closely linked their oral health is with their general health. According to Houston dental implants specialists, gum disease can be a sign of serious diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease! Bacteria that are commonly found in the mouth are also present in the plaque that lines the heart’s arteries. By having oral ailments diagnosed and treated promptly, you not only help to prevent the development of other health problems, but you could actually have potentially fatal conditions diagnosed and treated too. Good oral health is imperative for good general health, so take both very seriously!
7. Understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to cosmetic dentistry
Wish you had George Clooney’s teeth or Keira Knightley’s pearly whites? Here’s something to bear in mind when asking your dentist about veneers, crowns or dental implants in Houston: there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. Everyone’s teeth are different and will respond to cosmetic treatments, such as whitening or bleaching, differently. Don’t undergo extensive work because you think it will make you look more like your favorite celebrity. Those big teeth may suit Julia Roberts, but they might not suit you!
Aim to keep your teeth clean and healthy and, should you wish to have a cosmetic procedure done, don’t expect to walk out looking like George Clooney or Keira Knightley. Rather, expect to look like you, just with a much more beautiful and radiant smile!