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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Imagine you’re on Family Feud, and your family has made it to the Fast Money Round. Steve Harvey turns to you and says “Name five reasons to go to the dentist.” What answers do you think will show up on the board?
When most people think about dental appointments, they think about cleanings, getting cavities filled, having a tooth pulled because it’s infected or cracked, undergoing a root canal, and maybe getting fitted for dentures. Some folks might cite Invisalign or traditional braces, bridges and crowns, teeth whitening, and implants. These are all relatively common procedures, and very good reasons to go to the dentist. But they are not the only reasons!
Keep reading to learn how a visit to the dentist’s office can alleviate your headaches and jaw pain, help you breathe and sleep better, and even guard against cancer!
A Dentist Can Treat Bruxism
What is bruxism? That’s just the formal medical term for what most people call “teeth grinding.” People who suffer from this condition clench their jaw and grind their teeth together.
Bruxism is considered a sleep-related movement disorder, since it most often takes place when the patient is asleep, but some people do it during the daytime, as well. Left untreated, bruxism can lead to pain in the neck, jaw, mouth, and head; teeth that are broken, cracked, chipped or otherwise damaged; and disruption of sleep.
“If you find that you frequently wake up with a headache, or with your jaw feeling achy and tired, you may be grinding your teeth in your sleep,” explains Midlothian dentist Dr. Brian Herod. “Many people don’t even know they have bruxism, until their spouse tells them they grind their teeth at night.”
How can a dentist help? The best treatment for bruxism is a custom-made nighttime mouth guard. This will keep the surfaces of your teeth from grinding together and causing damage. A mouth guard will also ensure that your jaw stays in a neutral position, and therefore prevent much of the pain associated with this condition.
A Dentist Can Offer Solutions to Sleep Apnea
Another breathing-related disorder that your dentist can diagnose and treat is obstructive sleep apnea. This is a condition in which a sleeping individual literally stops breathing, often many times a night. As you can imagine, obstructive sleep apnea can take a toll on your overall health and even present a risk of death.
Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
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Gasping for breath while asleep
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Waking with an extremely dry mouth
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Loud snoring
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Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
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Daytime sleepiness
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Chronic morning headaches
Speak to your dentist if you believe you may have obstructive sleep apnea. There are several ways to treat this disorder; most commonly, patients are fitted with a CPAP appliance. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure, and the appliance works by increasing the air pressure in your throat. It can help apnea patients breathe more easily and regularly, and in turn improves the quality of their sleep.
A Dentist Can Screen You for Oral Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, some 53,000 people are diagnosed with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers each year. Although they are relatively rare forms of cancer, it’s just as vital to detect and treat them as early as possible. That’s where your dentist comes in!
Your dentist will screen you for signs of oral cancer as a matter of course, during an overall examination of your teeth, gums, and mouth. They’re looking for any open sores, areas of tissue that are discolored or abnormally thick or that bleed upon pressure, cysts, and swelling.
If the dentist or hygienist discovers any of these or other signs that something is amiss, they will schedule additional exams and screenings for you.
See Your Dentist Regularly
As you can see, visiting the dentist every six months is important to keep your teeth and gums healthy, but also for your overall health. Even if you suffer from dental phobia, take steps to overcome it so that you can benefit from all aspects of a dentist’s care.
Your teeth, gums, tongue, and palate can tell the dentist a lot about other medical conditions that could adversely affect your life — or even end it prematurely.