Much of what people know about dentistry these days is reactionary. For example, a person feels pain or has a chipped tooth, and when they go to the dentist, they find out that they will need a filling or root canal with a crown. Waiting this long has put the tooth or teeth in jeopardy, requiring work to save it instead of a routine cleaning or filling. It could have been prevented or significantly reduced with knowledge about brushing frequency, technique, flossing, chemical attack with rinses and toothpastes, and awareness of the large role that the time in a person's life and the external environment play. Daily oral care basics are needed, but people do have to change or add to their daily regiment on an individual basis. For instance, a person's diet generally changes every five to seven years, this will modify care for your dentition, oral bone and gum health. This is especially true for those with health conditions that affect the immune system, glands, blood, saliva flow, gastro-intestinal tract, vitamin absorption, acid reflux, or sleep disorders. Diabetes is one of these conditions that have multiple affects on your body but also on your mouth.

Many medications to manage the condition, disease, or side effects of other medications cause xerostomia. Xerostomia is dry mouth, and people get this at different levels not only from medications, but from the foods and drinks we consume. A considerable amount of these factors are different for each person and can change over the span of a lifetime. Incorporating the routine that a person needs to do for their own health is vital to prevent an infected tooth or gums. Who wants an infection in their mouth?

Many don't realize that cavities are caused when bacteria accumulate to numbers that attack tooth structure and bone level. Those with health concerns are more at risk from dental problems, so daily care is more important. Just imagine, if that bacterium is strong enough to attack the hardest surface in your mouth, then what can it do to the rest of your body?

There is research to show a link between the bacteria in the mouth and the bacteria on the heart. So one can see that it is important to know this, and it may motivate them to find out their oral environment status to ensure prevention is on track, instead of fixing it after it breaks or hurts.

For more information on this topic, contact Dr. Rader at Generations Dental, located at 1223 N. Government Way, Coeur d'Alene, (208) 664-9225.