Why do you visit the dentist? Is it to prevent cavities? Is it only when you already have a cavity or you are having some kind of dental emergency?
If you live in or near San Diego, CA, we want to help you rethink what it means to get dental care. It’s about more than fixing cavities. It’s about much more than your teeth as well.
It about your total health and well-being. That’s why we emphasize complete health dentistry at the office of Brian Davey, DDS.
Take a few moments to learn what this could mean for you. Then call 858-762-9991 to experience the benefits of a healthy mouth yourself by making your next appointment with us.
The Oral-Overall Health Connection
Your mouth can have a profound impact on your overall health — for good or ill.
The foods you eat start breaking down in your mouth. The health of your mouth affects how well they are broken down, which can affect how much nutrition you get from those foods.
Poor oral health can lead to tooth loss, which may prevent you from eating a wide variety of foods. If you aren’t able to bite and chew fruits and vegetables, you may not get the vitamins and minerals that you should. This can affect your energy and your quality of life.
In addition to being the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States, gum disease has been connected to a number of health problems. People with gum disease are more likely to have issues with high blood pressure and a greater risk for heart attacks as well. In fact, the same bacteria that causes gum disease has been found in the hearts of many people with cardiovascular and heart disease.
We could go on, but we think you get the idea. By taking care of your mouth, you will be helping take care of yourself, too. You still need to eat a balanced diet, exercise, and get plenty of rest, but poor oral health can undermine the other things you are doing to be healthier.
Mental Health Benefits
Have you ever met someone who never seems to smile? Or do you know someone who feels compelled to hold a hand in front of their mouth any time they speak, smile, or laugh?
Are you one of them?
We aren’t judging if you are. We have met many patients who do those things at our practice. For many of them, this is due to their own feelings about their smiles.
When you don’t like the appearance of your teeth, you may feel embarrassed or ashamed. This can lead to some conscious or unconscious behaviors to try to hide those teeth from the world.
This can reveal itself in multiple ways. You may not realize how little you smile unless other people mention it to you directly.
At the same time, feeling bad about your smile can become an obstacle in your daily life. We’ve had patients tell us they did not apply for jobs, or they turned down invitations to personal and social events simply because of their teeth. By doing nothing about your teeth, you could be holding yourself back from living your best life.
With restorative and cosmetic services, you could undergo a smile makeover. This can give a healthier and more attractive smile. It could be the kind of change that helps you feel better about yourself, and it could change how other people see you as well.
Studies have shown that people with nice smiles are often considered to be more confident, friendly, and intelligent.
We have seen firsthand how a new smile can change someone’s self-perception. It could do the same for you or someone you love.
Beyond Cavities
Preventive care is the backbone of general and family dentistry. Brushing, flossing, and routine dental cleanings should be part of everyone’s oral health habits.
These steps can remove bacteria and plaque before tooth decay begins to form, which is the best way to avoid cavities, tooth infections, and tooth loss. Bacteria also lead to gum disease, so the more you can remove regularly, the better chance you have of preventing periodontal problems.
In fact, we use the OralDNA system to custom-tailor gum disease treatment for the particular bacteria that are causing your condition.
When you visit us for a dental cleaning and exam, however, we are going more than just removing plaque and tartar that you may have missed. If we see signs of trouble, we want to take steps as soon as possible to fix it.
No one wants to have a dental filling, but getting one today could save you the time and expense of a root canal or a tooth extraction and replacement down the road.
We want to stress again, that prevention is preferable. This is why we offer dental sealants (which act as a shield against cavity-causing bacteria) and fluoride treatments (which can repair minor damage and make your teeth stronger).
As valuable as early detection is for tooth decay and gum disease, it much, much more true for oral cancer. If it was up to us, no one would ever get this disease. Since this isn’t something we can control, we do what we can to help. You can receive an oral cancer screening by making an appointment with us.
We do more than just a visual inspection. We invested in the VELscope, which allows us to identify suspicious changes earlier than would be possible with our eyes alone.
Stay Healthy … Like Your Smile!
You know without anyone telling you that your oral health is important. This is true for its own sake, but also for the sake of your overall health. By taking care of your mouth, you are making it easier to keep doing things that are good for you.
At the office of Brian Davey, DDS, in San Diego, our team is more than willing to help you on your journey. Whether you need preventive, restorative, or cosmetic care, call 858-762-9991 or contact us online to schedule your next dental appointment with us.
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