Dentists in Kona should be thought of as an integral component of a patient’s entire healthcare team. People often mentally separate dental care from other kinds of medical care not connecting the effects that oral health can have on the entire body. It works the other way, too. Certain illnesses and medications can have negative effects on the teeth and gums or make it difficult for a person to properly clean the teeth.
Work Hours Missed
Dental problems cause a significant amount of trouble for people in their daily lives just as other diseases and injuries do. For instance, the American Dental Association reports that workers miss about 164 million hours annually because of oral disease.
That includes a range of issues, such as the need for root canal treatment, toothaches due to the spread of decay, and oral infections such as thrush. Very diseased teeth may need to be extracted by Dentists in Kona. People often hear about how much work is missed due to colds and flu, but dental issues do not receive as much media attention.
Gum Disease and Cardiovascular Disease
Poor oral hygiene that causes gum disease also is associated with cardiovascular disease. The reason for this relationship is not clear yet, but researchers theorize that constant inflammation in the mouth is stressful to the heart and blood vessels.
Gum Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Research has also found an association between rheumatoid arthritis and gum disease. It’s unclear whether gum inflammation can spread to the joints and cause the autoimmune disorder or whether arthritis makes it too difficult for some patients to floss and brush regularly.
Preventive Methods
Patients typically can prevent gum disease by flossing daily and having tartar removed from their teeth twice yearly, but many do not follow these guidelines. Flossing removes decaying food particles from between teeth where brushing doesn’t reach. Hardened plaque that has turned to tartar is irritating to the gums.
For all these reasons, it’s important for people to have a dentist like Carter S. Yokoyama D.D.S. as part of their overall healthcare team. Visit the Website to read about this particular practitioner.
