According to an article published on the American Dental Associationís website Oct. 20, 2014, more than 30 percent of people are not brushing their teeth enough.The ADA recommends brushing for two minutes twice a day, adding that poor oral hygiene can lead to poor overall health.Thomas J. Salinas, DDS, a contributor to the Mayo Clinic, wrote on the website, ìWhen you brush your teeth, you help remove food and plaque ñ- a sticky white film that forms on your teeth and contains bacteria. After you eat a meal or snack that contains sugar, the bacteria in plaque produces acids that attack tooth enamel. Repeated attacks can break down tooth enamel and lead to cavities. Plaque that isnít removed can also harden into tarter, making it harder to keep teeth clean.îMegan Smith, regional director for Falcon Dental in Falcon, Colorado, said oral health is the gateway to all the systems of the body. ìThe disease in an abscessed tooth, for example, could spread to your heart and cause cardiac failure or spread closer to your brain and cause an aneurysm,î she said.The ADA website states that the mouth can show signs of nutritional deficiencies or general infection. ìSystemic diseases, those that affect the entire body, may first become apparent because of mouth lesions or other oral problems.îSmith said about 33 percent of adults have some form of periodontal disease and do not know they have it. The most common reason people develop periodontal disease is because they do not regularly visit their dentist, she said.ìIt is not your grandfatherís dentistry anymore,î Smith said. ìA lot of people still have residual fears of the dentist because of family stories. No one sits on you and shoves a needle in your mouth.îMedications can also cause oral health issues, making the need for regular maintenance an even bigger issue. According to the Mayo Clinicís website, medications such as decongestants, antihistamines, painkillers, diuretics and antidepressants can reduce saliva flow.ìSaliva washes away food and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, helping to protect you from microbial invasion or overgrowth that might lead to disease,î the website states.Leaving periodontal disease untreated can result in a higher risk for developing conditions like heart disease and kidney failure, Smith said. However, many people put off seeing the dentist until they realize something is wrong, she said.ìWe try to help people see that regular cleanings need to be a priority,î Smith said. With the start of the new year, Smith said now is a great time to get a new plan of action in gear because most peopleís insurance benefits have renewed.ìThat is where you start,î she said. ìYou come in, get it (regular appointments) going and fix the issues from there.î
