We’re going to let you in on a little secret – almost all dental procedures will improve your oral health. Your oral health and your overall health are intimately linked, so by improving your oral health, your quality of life will improve, too. The dental procedures we list here aren’t part of your daily oral health care routine (though, that’s just as important). They are, however, important procedures your dentist might recommend in order to keep your mouth healthy.
There are some people who wonder why they need a teeth cleaning; after all, they brush twice a day and floss once a day, and they have no history of bad oral health. The reason a professional teeth cleaning is still important is tartar. No matter how well you brush and floss, tiny bits of plaque will accumulate, and they will harden into tartar which can’t be removed by brushing alone. Tartar creates a safe haven for bacteria, which can lead to gum disease and cavities. These things can lead to problems with your overall health over time.
Cavities occur when bacteria eat away at the enamel of your teeth – the tartar we just described gives them ample time and space to do that. Teeth are quite strong and they’re pretty good at regenerating themselves, but they’re not great at patching damage. In other words, once you get a cavity, while you can slow or stop related decay, that cavity is there to stay. Cavities create a space for bacteria to live and continue to work their way through the rest of your tooth, eventually making it to the root. Fillings put a stop to this and preserve your oral health.
Root Canals and Extractions
When you leave a cavity for too long, or your gum disease has progressed enough, bacteria can make their way to the roots of your teeth. The bacteria can cause life-threatening infections as well as kill the tooth that has had its roots affected. Root canal treatments can save a tooth from being lost. Should the tooth already be dead, extractions are necessary to ensure infections don’t affect the rest of your body.
Eating is essential to your overall health, and teeth are essential to eating. When you’ve lost one or more teeth, there are a number of tools and techniques to replace them, from dentures and bridges to implants. Your dentist can help find the procedure that will best suit your needs and your budget – not every procedure works for every patient.
While cosmetic procedures don’t necessarily improve your oral health, they can help you improve your mental health. When there are elements of your smile you don’t like, cosmetic dentistry can help you feel better about your look. The best dentist in Winnipeg can help you determine if certain cosmetic procedures are right for you. They might suggest teeth whitening or veneers. For orthodontic procedures, they might recommend that you visit a particular specialist.