Table of Contents:
Introduction
Most of us are now cognizant about getting an Annual master health checkup as there is a huge shout out about its benefits regularly. However, when it comes to Oral Health and a dental checkup, we are always very reluctant to visit our dentist unless we have severe tooth pain, bleeding, or swelling. It’s crucial to recognize that neglecting routine dental check-ups can lead to hidden issues impacting overall health. Many diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension, and more may be related to oral infections like severe gum infection, known as periodontitis. By prioritizing oral health within our regular health check routine, we can address potential problems early, ensuring a comprehensive approach to well-being.
This could be simply because we are not aware that many diseases which are occurring in the body such as diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension, skin related issues like eczema , neck lymphadenitis , headache and complications related to pregnancy could be in a great way related to a focal sepsis of infection in the mouth such as severe gum infection, medically termed as periodontitis.
The mouth is teeming with millions of bacteria out of which, at least 700 bacteria have been found to be responsible for causing a number of oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease. These bacteria secrete a lot of toxins which which pass through the blood from the mouth to the various parts of the body and reach other parts of the body.
These toxins in the blood increase the risk of a number of diseases, as mentioned earlier. Further, when the human body fights against these bacteria, our white blood cells (defense cells of our body), also secrete a number of chemicals are known as cytokines. The pro-inflammatory cytokines when secreted in excessive quantities can prove to be dangerous to the whole body as they increase the toxicity of the blood and lead to other diseases as discussed above.
Advantages of a Regular Dental Check-up.
When you get your routine dental check-up done, preventive measures such as tooth cleaning (scaling) and filing of early dental caries (cavities) can go a long way in reducing recurring dental Healthcare costs! This is usually just 10% of your expenditure for a gum surgery or a root canal treatment which is done in advanced stages to save your teeth and gums! Also, these procedures are time-consuming and will be involve some amount of pain and discomfort as compared to simple preventive dental procedures.
The misconception about oral and dental hygiene being an option rather than a priority has to be clarified and annual dental visits should be carried out from childhood itself. This will also ensure the gen next is free of worrisome oral diseases such as periodontal disease which can lead to tooth loss and other health hazards as mentioned.