Dental Care for Family

The health of your teeth, gums and mouth is an important part of overall health. Tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral diseases can cause pain and may affect your quality of life. The oral health care team is a group of medical professionals that includes dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and primary care physicians. Together, they are dedicated to your Dentistry services and overall health.

People often take their oral health for granted and think that a healthy mouth is the result of good hygiene practices. While brushing and flossing are essential, they are only a small portion of the whole picture. The health of your teeth and mouth is a window to your overall health and can offer clues about other health problems like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, premature births and osteoporosis.

Visiting your dentist twice a year and getting regular screenings can help you maintain your oral health. A Dentistry services can help identify cavities and other oral health issues, which are easier to treat if caught early. A dentist can also screen for signs of systemic diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, which are sometimes first discovered in the mouth.

Oral health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being and enables us to enjoy life, work and play without discomfort or pain. Research is uncovering new insights about the connections between oral health and other chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

Our mouths collect all kinds of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Most of these organisms are harmless and make up the normal flora in our mouths. However, a diet high in sugar provides the right environment for these organisms to grow and produce acid that destroys tooth enamel and leads to tooth decay.

Many oral health problems can be prevented with regular preventive visits to your dentist, including fluoride treatments and other measures. Some can be corrected with dental implants, root canal therapy, dentures, and other restorations. Unfortunately, these problems are common and can have a serious impact on your quality of life.

Despite the importance of oral health, many people don’t receive the oral care they need. This is mainly because they can’t afford it. In addition, the oral health care system is fragmented and underfunded. The federal government has a role to play in improving access to oral health care by reducing barriers, training new providers and supporting allied health professions, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

The oral health care system needs to be expanded and integrated into other parts of the healthcare system, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and older adults. Community based initiatives, such as dental service organizations and family centered health centers, are making great strides in integrating oral health into general medical practice. This is a critical component of the national effort to achieve Healthy People 2020 goals. We must continue to build on these successes and implement innovative strategies for addressing the unmet oral health needs of all people.