Archive for March, 2010
Importance of Patient Education of Basic Oral Hygiene in Essendon.
Oral Health has been a prevailing issue in Essendon. Sadly, oral health is oftentimes being overlooked. People are either conscious of their kids’ or aged grandparents’ oral health but normal healthy adolescents and adults would try to push their dental visits as much as possible to the corner of their planners.
On the other hand, there is also that significant part of the Essendon population who would regularly visit their dentists but still has poor oral hygiene education. What patients should understand is that oral hygiene is equally important as the dental visits. People who think that they have the money to pay and that it’s already their dentist’s job to take care of their teeth are in serious trouble.
Proper way of tooth brushing, flossing and proper care of dental prosthesis – patients must have the humility to ask their dentist or at least the curiosity to read about what is really proper. Whatever we are doing everyday that we have assumed to be already working for us anyhow as long as we keep on doing it still does not suffice. What is the big deal anyway? Let us look at the bigger picture.
- Savings. Proper way of tooth brushing and flossing would save a lot of dollars. We blame a lot of things for our dental caries (tooth decay) but its main cause is still lack of proper hygiene. The usual scenario in Essendon dentist clinics is that a patient comes in the dental clinic complaining that their tooth has been chipped off by something hard that they accidentally chewed on the previous night. Upon closer inspection, the dentist will see that there has been a deep-seated carious lesion on the tooth in concern and the dentist would then gently try to explain what really happened. A single tooth-colored filling costs around $50-$250 in Essendon. People who have caries-free and filling-free set of teeth do exist and it is mainly attributed to their excellent oral hygiene.
- Over-all Health. Numerous studies have already been conducted linking gum disease to the risk of heart disease. One theory is that oral bacteria may find its way to the bloodstream via open inflamed gum wounds (bleeding gums while toothbrushing) which in turn might find its way to the heart. Research on the possible relationship of chronic gum disease with low birth weight is also already on its way. Clearly, researchers are just beginning to recognize gum disease as a serious threat to health as a whole.
- Healthy Teeth=Freedom to Eat. After spending probably thousands of dollars on a set of fantastic veneers and then comes the sudden craving to eat a juicy red apple. The impulse to just bite the apple would then have to be controlled and the new discipline of always having to chop your fruits and eat them with a fork is actually, just the tip of the iceberg. There’s also barbequed spareribs and buttered corn cob, among others. We all know how people with dentures shy away from basically a lot of food groups and this is really a shame. Retired people who can now afford to eat anywhere in Essendon but just don’t have the teeth for it.
- Effect On Other People. Having a bad breath, without further explanation, is just a no-no. It affects not just your relationship with your partner but there’s also your relationship with your boss, your dermatologist, your friends, and everybody who comes in contact with you. One particular troubling scenario is a mother with infected gums, kissing and feeding her toddler. They may not share spoons but when mommy blows on the steaming hot food.. well, we already get the picture.
- Healthy Teeth=Goodbye to tooth ache. Tooth decay is not just ugly, they are also very painful. The most common dental emergency in Essendon is tooth ache. A lot of pharmaceutical companies are earning billions of dollars selling pain-relievers targeted for tooth aches. Again, it must be emphasized that dental caries are caused by none other than bacteria.
Patients who visit their dentist for oral prophylaxis and spends just around 10 minutes on the dental chair because there is practically nothing for the dental hygienist to remove, these patients do exist in Essendon. They don’t spend that much but they have a way better set of teeth than those who spend thousands of dollars on their teeth every year. Prevention is always better than the cure, so they say.
Brought to you by Essendon Dentist.