01 May Happy May: Celebrating National Dental Care Month

            There are so many beautiful things to celebrate about spring: mild weather, sunshine, flowers in bloom. It’s a season that can bring a smile to anyone’s face. And yet the month of May marks more than just that to celebrate: it’s also National Dental Care Month. This May, we want to remember the positive difference that a lifetime of good oral health can make. We know you know the basics—brush your teeth, floss, don’t forget to visit the dentist. If you’re wondering whether those little habits really make a difference, we want to encourage you that they do. We want to celebrate together what good dental care can do! So today, we’ll remind ourselves of just a handful of the benefits that positive oral health hold in store.

Decreased Long-Term Dental Expenses

Many Americans may not visit the dentist when they need to simply due to lack of affordability. The ADA estimates that about 43% of Americans saw a dentist in 2021. They write: “Compared to other types of health care services, cost barriers are most severe for dental care services. For example, 13% of the population reported cost barriers to dental care, compared to 4-5% for other health care services.”

However, for those concerned about pricey dental care, the most important thing you can do is maintain good oral health in the first place! The benefit of seeing the dentist regularly (even if nothing is “wrong”) is that it prevents problems from developing down the road that would require more expensive, invasive treatment. According to the CDC, the U.S. loses over $45 billion in productivity every year due to oral disease that is left untreated. That’s why good oral health is actually the cheapest way to go! Rather than waiting until problems develop and demand expensive treatment, see your dentist regularly. As they say, prevention is the best cure.

Increased Self-Confidence

According to the Psych Times, “It’s not just societal perception; scientific studies confirm the profound link between a healthy smile and self-esteem. Published scientific research in the United States reveals a clear correlation: individuals with poor oral health often report lower self-confidence and increased social anxiety.”

      We tend to trivialize this benefit of good oral health, as if wanting a bright smile were something inherently vain or silly. Research directs us to think otherwise. The Psych Times explains that due to common ideas of attractiveness, teeth that are misaligned or discolored may lead someone to internalize a negative self-image or feelings of inadequacy. This self-consciousness could even lead someone to avoid social interaction or modify their behavior, such as by intentionally attempting to conceal their teeth. What you look like and what you think of yourself does impact your well-being. Positive oral health habits set you up for increased self-esteem and a more positive social experience overall.

Decreased Pain

If you’ve ever had a toothache, then we don’t have to tell you—they hurt! No one wants to get a cavity, because they’re often accompanied by aches and pangs of discomfort. They are a common occurrence: in a study reported by the National Library of Medicine, over half of participants had had a toothache in the previous six months. As everyone who has had a toothache knows, this discomfort can escalate to the point of even affecting everyday operations. And poor dental health is more than just toothaches—tooth sensitivity, inflammation, even oral-health-related conditions such as gum disease…all of these cause pain and discomfort that no one wants to deal with.

That’s one of the benefits of maintaining good oral health: though taking the time to undergo proper dental care may seem time-consuming, expensive, or even just unnecessary in the moment, it could save you a painful toothache (or worse!) down the road. Healthy teeth are most often pain-free teeth.

Disease Prevention

The body is susceptible to all sorts of diseases, and your oral health plays a bigger role in preventing them than you might imagine. Some of the diseases most closely linked to oral health include:

Gum disease.

As the Mayo Clinic explains, “Without good oral hygiene, germs can reach levels that might lead to infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease.”

Endocarditis.

If germs are not adequately removed from the mouth through proper oral hygiene, they can escape into the bloodstream and find the heart, causing an infection of the heart’s inner lining. In extreme cases, endocarditis can be fatal.

Cardiovascular disease.

The Clinic writes, “Some research suggests that heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke might be linked to the inflammation and infections that oral germs can cause.”

Dental care protect against these and various other diseases that poor oral health brings on

Improved Systemic Health

Not only does proper dental care protect you from specific diseases like endocarditis, it also promotes more positive overall health. In the words of periodontist Sarah Ross to the Cleveland Clinic, “In reality…you should think of your mouth as an extension of the rest of your body…. By looking in a person’s mouth, I often get a sense of what their overall health is.” This makes sense, when we consider how oral health is shown to be so deeply linked with various conditions, such as gum disease and cardiovascular health.

As the Cleveland Clinic points out, cardiovascular disease is multifaceted: coronary artery disease (the leading cause of death in the United States), clogged arteries, and stroke are all components which all demonstrate clear correlation with poor oral health. Oral germs may also contribute to a variety of birth and pregnancy complications, such as: “fetal growth restriction, gestational diabetes, low birth weight, miscarriage, stillbirth, preeclampsia.” Pneumonia, bacterial infection, even facial swelling—all these things may be related to poor oral health, giving us all the more reason to celebrate good dental care this month. By investing time and money in proper dental care for yourself and your loved ones, you add an extra layer of protection between you and poor overall health.  

Conclusion

The verdict is in: good dental care is the way to go. It will save you pain and money in the long run, all while promoting positive self-perception and overall good health. If you have questions about what good dental care looks like, or you simply want to set up your next appointment, please contact our office today.

About Our Team

Our team has over 30 years of combined experience in the field of dentistry and a passion for educating our patients on the importance of good dental hygiene. To learn more about them, please visit our team page 

Our staff is dedicated to making sure that your entire experience is the best it can possibly be. Whatever your needs are, our team is trained to listen and offer the best advice and guidance in choosing the services that best meet your needs.