Taking care of your oral health is not just important for your teeth and gums. It is important for your overall well-being, too. That’s why our family dentistry in Dallas, TX, offers a wide range of treatments that benefit not just your mouth but your body as well. Are you ready to explore general dentistry treatments with our Lakewood dentists?
If so, schedule an appointment with Drs. Shaun Sigurdson and Mihir Patel at beautiful Lakewood Dental Group in Dallas, TX. Existing and prospective patients can easily reach our team to request care at (214) 827-1885 during office hours.
Meanwhile, let our team provide some valuable insight into modern general dentistry. In this blog, we’ll discuss some of the family dentistry treatments that offer significant benefits for your oral and overall health.
Professional Teeth Cleaning
Professional teeth cleaning is one of the most basic and essential family dentistry treatments that benefit the mouth and body. Regular teeth cleaning helps remove plaque and tartar buildup, which are largely responsible for tooth decay and gum disease.
Moreover, dental cleanings reduce the risk of other health problems, such as:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Neurological issues, like dementia
- Respiratory conditions, like pneumonia
- Kidney and liver damage
By keeping the teeth and gums healthy, patients can improve their overall well-being.
Routine Dental Check-Ups
Regular dental check-ups are essential to maintaining optimal oral health. During a dental check-up, your dentist examines your teeth and gums to find any signs of decay or gum disease.
Your family dentist may also check for signs of oral cancer, which can be fatal if not diagnosed early enough. Additionally, they may be able to diagnose systemic health issues based on the condition of your teeth and gums. As a result, routine dental check-ups may be your first indicator that hidden issues are arising elsewhere in your body.
Family Dentistry for Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride treatments are another essential family dentistry treatment that offers significant benefits for the mouth and body.
Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen the enamel of the teeth. As a result, fluoride treatments help make teeth more resistant to decay.
Moreover, it helps reduce the risk of cavities and gum disease, which can lead to better oral and overall health. Fluoride treatments are particularly beneficial for children, as their teeth are still developing and are more prone to cavities.
Lastly, some research concludes that fluoride may be beneficial for increasing bone density throughout the body. This means that fluoride treatments may be ideal for strengthening both your smile and your skeletal system!
Protective Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are a preventive family dentistry treatment that offers significant benefits for both the mouth and the body.
Tooth sealants are thin coatings of dental-grade plastic that are applied to the chewing surfaces of the rear teeth (frequently called the ‘molars’). As such, they help prevent food and plaque from getting stuck in the grooves and pits of the teeth. This is important, because trapped food debris and plaque are largely responsible for dental decay.
Dental sealants also offer some protection against bruxism, which is the unintentional clenching or grinding of teeth. This means that sealants may reduce the need for restorative treatments in the future, saving you valuable time and money.
Family Dentistry for Root Canal Therapy
When a tooth is infected, the nerve and pulp inside the tooth can become inflamed, causing severe pain and discomfort. Root canal therapy is a family dentistry treatment that helps save a significantly decayed or infected tooth from extraction.
Root canal therapy involves removing the infected pulp, cleaning out and sterilizing the inside of the tooth, and plugging it with a special material. By saving the tooth, root canal therapy helps maintain the structure and function of your mouth and body.
Health-Saving Tooth Extractions
While tooth extractions may not sound like a beneficial family dentistry treatment, they can be necessary to protect your oral and overall health.
In some cases, a tooth may be severely decayed or damaged, and it can’t be saved with restorative treatments. Furthermore, some teeth may need to be extracted to make room for orthodontic treatment.
By removing a problematic tooth, you can prevent further damage to your oral health and reduce the risk of infection.
Orthodontic Treatments
Orthodontic treatments (such as braces or Invisalign®) are family dentistry treatments that offer significant benefits for your mouth and body.
Orthodontic treatment can help correct the alignment of your teeth, which can improve your bite and smile. Additionally, these treatments can help prevent dental problems: such as:
- Tooth decay
- Gum disease
- Accidental dental damage
These smile-correcting treatments can also alleviate systemic health problems (such as jaw pain and headaches), which can lead to better overall health.
Treatment for Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common condition that can have significant negative effects on your oral and overall health. Sleep apnea occurs when your breathing is interrupted during sleep, leading to snoring and daytime fatigue.
But, that’s not all. Experts have linked sleep apnea to significant systemic health issues, including:
- Heart disease
- Metabolic syndrome
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cognitive impairment
- High blood pressure
- Elevate levels of the stress hormone, cortisol
- Liver problems, including significant liver scarring (also called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
Simple family dentistry treatments (like personalized oral appliances) can help treat sleep apnea for improved sleep and better overall health.
Family Dentistry for Oral Cancer Screenings
Oral cancer is a serious disease that may prove to be life-threatening if not detected and treated early enough. During a dental checkup, your dentist closely examines your mouth for any subtle signs of oral cancer, such as:
- Open or healing sores
- New lumps or bumps on the gums, tongue, or cheeks
- Red or inflamed areas in the back of the throat
- Soft-tissue discoloration
- Abnormal growths or markings
- Bad breath
Schedule a Family Dentistry Appointment in Dallas, TX
Come one, come all! Schedule a health-saving family dentistry appointment for you and your loved ones at Lakewood Dental Group today. Patients can easily reach our Lakewood dentists online here or at (214) 827-1885 to get started now!