Dental check-up - the foundation of oral health
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Healthy mouth, better feeling
It is easier to smile, eat, talk and live an active life if your gums and teeth are in good condition. Studies show that oral health is even linked with a feeling of happiness.
What aspects in your life affect your wellbeing? Many of us are ready to invest in a healthy diet, a gym membership and the services of a masseur. Anyone interested in their wellbeing could add regular appointments with a dentist or a dental hygienist to the list.
– Oral health affects all aspects of your wellbeing: general health, performance, eating and talking, says dentist Johanna Kukila.
Kukila says that performance is about the effort and level of energy required to deal with everyday life. For example, gingivitis may be completely asymptomatic, but thoroughly inflamed gums is as serious to the body as an open wound the size of your palm. Your body uses resources to combat the inflammation all the time, resulting in a decline in your performance and level of alertness.
A healthy mouth improves wellbeing and quality of life
Poor oral health may be a risk factor for a heart attack, cerebral infarction and many other serious conditions. Oral inflammation may spread to other parts of the body through the circulatory system. However, oral health is not only about the absence of diseases, but something more: oral wellbeing.
The World Dental Federation published a new definition for oral health a few years ago. The key aspect of this definition is that the term “oral health” should not be associated with a narrow perspective that focuses on diseases. Instead, oral health is an integral part of wellbeing and an indicator of the quality of life.
Proper wellbeing can only be ensured if there are no major problems in your teeth.
– Cavities in your teeth can make you feel unwell, for instance. Poor oral health can cause shame and affect your interpersonal relationships and even employment, says Kukila.
Every one of us who has been worried that their breath smells or ashamed of their teeth will surely recognise the effect oral health has on your confidence.
Studies also show that oral health is linked with overall wellbeing and even happiness.
Various problems with teeth can be solved by a dentist. Cavities and chipped teeth can and must be fixed with fillings. Bad breath can be caused by gum disease, periodontitis. Cosmetic dental care aligns your teeth and makes your smile brighter.
Johanna Kukila says that, sometimes, people visiting a dentist are ashamed to open their mouth. Solving these problems and improving oral health makes people smile and emotional. A customer once said that they can finally live a normal life.
– The mouth is an intimate area. Many people believe that others think that the condition of your mouth is an indicator of how well you can look after yourself, says Kukila.
Pain management guarantees wellbeing
Tooth pain can be so severe that it renders you unable to focus on anything else. Imagine yourself going to a job interview with a really bad toothache, for example. Fortunately, it is easy to determine the cause of the pain at a dentist’s appointment.
Grinding your teeth at night, also called bruxism, can cause pain in your jaw, cheeks and even your ears. It also destroys the enamel protecting your teeth and wears your teeth down. Bruxism also has an effect on the quality of sleep and your overall wellbeing.
– Grinding and clenching your teeth lowers the quality of sleep. People who grind their teeth do not recover as well as others during sleep, says Kukila.
There is no way to prevent bruxism. Wearing a mouth guard during sleep, which will not only protect your teeth but also alleviate your symptoms and improve the quality of sleep. Another mode of treatment is to inject botulinum toxin to the masseter muscles. These injections reduce bruxism and alleviate the pain.
Do you suffer from poor oral health?
Common problems such as these can be solved:
- Yellow teeth can be made brighter by tooth whitening.
Stains and plaque can be removed by a dental hygienist. - Chipped or worn teeth can be fixed with fillings, crowns or veneers.
- Misaligned teeth can be fixed with orthodontics. In some cases, orthodontic treatment can be performed by virtually unnoticeable, transparent plastic shells.
- A missing tooth can be replaced with an implant.
- Bad breath can be caused by inflammation. Consult a dentist for help.
Sources:
Oral-health-related quality of life: an overview for the general dental practitionerExternal link
HammaslääkärilehtiExternal link