It’s that time of year! Jingle bells, gingerbread cookies, and the turning of another calendar year are on the horizon. As we reflect on the passing year, let us look towards the next with enthusiasm, hope, and dedication to better health. When it comes to pursuing better oral health, Assure a Smile would like to take a moment and urge patients to think Holistic.
Comments by Dr. Ted Herrmann:
What better time to reflect on personal health and well being than right before the start of a new year? Whether you have a dozen cavities or zero, it is important to consistently reevaluate the way you think of your teeth, gums, and local dentist. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with holistic dentistry, a proactive approach to creating healthy smiles that last a lifetime.
Diet and Holistic Dentistry
Holistic dentistry seeks out the causal factors that contribute to dental conditions. One of the most common contributing factors to poor oral hygiene is a corresponding poor diet. Holistic dentistry differs from traditional dentistry in the belief that simple dietary changes can help create healthy teeth and gums for life. For example, traditional dentistry’s answer to fighting cavities and gum disease is to brush and floss regularly. This approach is reactive, focusing on plaque removal instead of the plaque itself. Holistic dentists, by contrast, want to help patients prevent tooth decay not only through proper hygiene, but also through proper diet.
When armed with the proper knowledge, patients can make minor adjustments to their diet to help prevent plaque accumulation before it starts. Limiting sugar intake, for example, is one of the best ways to prevent plaque from accumulating on your teeth.
Proactive Teeth and Gum Care
Of course, proactive teeth and gum care is an essential part of long lasting oral health. Making dietary changes will help to limit the damage caused by eating food, however regular brushing and flossing is still required to remove the food particles that cause disease.
It is important to consider flossing a major component of oral hygiene. Though tedious, flossing removes the food particles that become lodged deep between teeth and near the gums. If not removed regularly, these food particles can infect the gums in as little as 48 hours. Once infection occurs, gums may become swollen, painful, and bleeding, eventually leading to gum disease.
Miami Dental Checkups and Cleanings
Regular dental checkups and cleanings round out the holistic approach to dentistry. Even the most educated and proactive patients develop occasional problem areas, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. However, minor problems become major problems when left undiagnosed and treated. Scheduling an appointment with a local Miami dentist will ensure your oral health plan gets off on the right foot for 2011.
