At David Rice DDS in Elgin, the dental health of each and every one of our patients is important. Too often dental health is not taken seriously enough, even by people who should know better. In this post, we are going to review some of the most important reasons for taking good care of your teeth and gums.
First, let’s get to the most obvious ones. A healthy mouth helps to prevent:
- Tooth decay
- Gum disease
- Bad breath
Those are three pretty good reasons. But there are other really good reasons why you should make brushing and flossing your teeth a practice you wouldn’t dream of skipping.
Poor dental hygiene may put you at greater risk of the following:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Diabetes
You may wonder: why does my mouth have so much to do with my overall health? If the eyes are the windows to the soul, the mouth is a window to the rest of your body.
An examination of the mouth, and saliva in particular, can reveal the presence of systemic conditions such as AIDS and diabetes. Incredible as it may seem, more than ninety percent of systemic diseases reveal themselves in the mouth. Saliva testing can also reveal the presence of environmental toxins that indicate hepatitis and other serious illnesses.
Brushing and flossing may not help you ward off systemic conditions, but they can be detected by a dental exam.
We’ll wrap up this post with a predictable reminder: never go to bed without brushing and flossing your teeth first. Remember to brush for at least two minutes and to thoroughly brush the inside and outside of your teeth. And don’t forget your tongue!
At David Rice DDS in Elgin, we want all our patients to have happy mouths – in other words, good dental health. Services include general and family dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry. We also offer dental implants. Schedule your next checkup with us today.
Contact David A. Rice, DDS:
847-741-2353
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1972 Larkin Ave Ste 1
Elgin, Illinois
60123