Retain your teeth, keep your gums healthy and look great. Those are good reasons for preventive care with your Morris, IL, dentists at Halyard Family Dental. Together, you and Dr. Douglas Halkyard, Dr. Scott Halkyard and their team will help you reach your smile goals.
Today's common oral health problems
There are three: tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer. Largely, they are all avoidable but potentially devastating. In their Morris office, your dentists teach proper at-home care and provide exams, cleanings, X-rays, and other services to reduce toxic plaque and tartar and check for developing health issues.
Even a serious issue, such as cancer, may be cured with early detection and intervention. Gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States (according to the CDC and other researchers), is controllable when patients and dentists work together.
Preventive care for your best smile
It includes:
- Brushing with a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste twice a day. It removes food residues that form bacteria-filled soft plaque and hard tartar.
- Flossing to eliminate biofilms between your teeth and beneath your gums. If you neglect this daily practice, gum pulls away from root surfaces, teeth loosen and overall health is impacted. Strep bacteria in your mouth cause gingival infection and problems such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
- A diet low in sugars and high in water, calcium, fiber, and protein
- In-office cleanings and exams, plastic sealants (to seal young molars) and fluoride treatments (to harden tooth decay)
- A careful check for sores which do not heal and changes in the color and texture of all oral tissues
- A no-tobacco lifestyle (cigarettes cause bad breath, dental stains, periodontal disease, and oral cancer)
- Limited alcohol consumption as alcohol in excess accelerates gum disease.
Furthermore, oral cancer appears linked to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Sexually transmitted, HPV may be set off by tobacco smoke, reports the CDC.
Prevention is best
It's true. A little time and attention every day will pay off, and your care will show when you visit your dentist at Halkyard Family Dental. For more information, contact our Morris, IL, office, or book your next check-up and cleaning. Phone (815) 942-0830.