One of the main reasons why people ignore their dental health is that they are often embarrassed about their teeth. People sometimes feel embarrassed that their lack of regular dental care has led to decayed, stained as well as chipped teeth. As a result of this, they prevent to face a dental professional's judgments.
Neglecting your teeth can cause gingivitis, the milder form of gum disease which makes gums red, swollen, and quick-to-bleed. This is a response to the bacteria in the plaque that builds up between your teeth and gums. Gingivitis can advance to a more serious form of gum disease, called periodontitis.
Untreated dental caries is the single most common condition globally, affecting an estimated 2.5 billion people.
Greater risk for dental decay and tooth loss can lead to more frequent pain experience, social isolation, and low self-esteem, and reducing quality of life and in turn possibly being associated with poorer mental and overall health [9].
This is primarily due to inadequate exposure to fluoride (in the water supply and oral hygiene products such as toothpaste), availability and affordability of food with high sugar content and poor access to oral health care services in the community.
Poor oral hygiene manifests in a number of different forms. From bleeding or swelling gums to toothaches, growths in the mouth and alterations to the tongue's surface, poor oral hygiene has plenty of forms. Some patients exhibit several common indications of poor oral hygiene.
There are many conditions we can identify during a visual examination of your oral cavity, even if you don't know you suffer from them. This includes mental health problems such as depression. Recent studies suggest that depression conclude depression is closely related to poor oral health.
Just as depression can contribute to bad teeth, dental problems may also lead to depression or worsen it. There are two primary reasons for this. First and foremost, bad teeth can significantly interfere with a person's healthy body image.
Straight teeth are more attractive:
When attracting a possible mate on a dating site, people with straight teeth are 57% more likely than those with crooked teeth to get a date based on their picture alone.
Maybe you think that the neglect is so far gone that no dentist could ever help you. This is not true. A dentist can restore your neglected teeth.
When there's a gap in your teeth because of a missing tooth, there's space for bacteria, tartar, and plaque to get into your gum line. This puts you at greater risk of gum disease. Once gum disease sets in, you're at greater risk for some serious medical conditions such as heart disease and stroke.
Feeling embarrassed by missing teeth is very common, but even if you're missing one, two, or more teeth, you're absolutely not alone. In fact, it's more rare to reach adulthood with all your teeth intact.
Cavities, periodontal disease, and other oral conditions are commonly associated with inadequate attention to nutrition and dental hygiene and can be signs of neglect.
But did you know that there is a shameful accusation existing in our society known as "Teeth Shaming" where people make objectionable comments and mock you due to the shape, color or alignment of your teeth.
While you won't die from the pain caused by an abscessed tooth or infected gums, poor oral health can lead to many deadly diseases.
A tooth infection can result in memory loss when the infection spreads to the brain. When your cavity reaches the tooth's root, the infection threatens nerves and blood vessels, which directly connect to the brain.
Prolonged time without brushing your teeth can cause tooth decay and gum disease to become more advanced, which can lead to receding gums and even tooth loss. Additional issues, including a higher risk for the onset of Alzheimer's disease, can be linked to high levels of unchecked bacteria in the mouth.
Still, tooth loss can result in problems with chewing that might lead to nutritional deficiencies, chemical imbalances, or changes to the brain that affect brain function.
The simplest step to maintaining oral health is brushing twice daily and flossing daily. Keeping up these basic oral health habits can go a long way to keeping your mouth in tip-top shape. In addition, eat a healthy diet and avoid sugary drinks. Visit your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings.
Nervous tension, anger and frustration can cause people to clench and grind their teeth without even realizing it. Therefore, it is important for you to keep an eye out for the following signs: tips of the teeth appearing flat, tooth enamel that is rubbed off causing extreme sensitivity, and tongue indentations.
Is it possible to restore your oral health and completely reverse gum disease? The answer is “yes,” but there's a catch. Only the first stage of gum disease, known as “gingivitis” can be reversed. After it progresses into the second stage (periodontitis), it's no longer possible to completely eliminate it.
Some of the most common diseases that impact our oral health include cavities (tooth decay), gum (periodontal) disease, and oral cancer.
Heart – Upper and lower third molars (wisdom teeth) Bladder –Upper and lower incisors. Kidney – Upper and lower incisors.