For complex and varied reasons, oral health has been the least recognized part of the overall public health policies of most countries across the globe. Most governments consider teeth as expendable and hence, refuse to include oral health as part of the national health policy. In economically under-developed countries, the incidence of oral diseases is relatively higher than that in advanced nations, owing to the lack of awareness and access to proper dental care. While it might be easy for you to locate a good dentist near you, there is a severe dearth of dental professionals in less-developed countries.
While oral health remains neglected in most parts of the world, oral diseases such as dental caries are among the most common chronic diseases worldwide. And, while oral diseases are not considered life-threatening, oral cancer still is the 8th most common cancer in the world.
The main deterrents in the maintenance of good oral health are:
- poor access to proper dental care in low-to-middle income countries, and
- lack of awareness about the importance of oral health in overall well-being.
Prevention Is The Key
For good oral health, especially where access to good dental care is rare, prevention is the best way forward. Even your local dentist in SW Calgary would agree that the key to good dental health is the prevention of oral diseases. Those countries where the government is unable to provide dental care facilities should at least make an effort to prevent the spread of oral diseases. This can be achieved by spreading awareness about oral diseases, providing subsidized fluoride toothpaste, and implementing strict policies on the use of tobacco and other substances that are harmful to oral health.
That being said, what are the measures you can take to ensure that your oral health stays in good shape? To prevent the development of oral diseases, there are certain rules that you must follow, along with a little bit of dedication.
Practicing Proper Dental Hygiene Habits
The most basic thing you can do to stay away from oral problems is to develop good dental hygiene. This means following a strict routine of brushing your teeth twice daily, flossing every day, and rinsing the mouth with mouthwash to kill the remaining bacteria. It helps if you also stay away from foods that can potentially damage your oral health. These include excessively sugary foods, very hard foods, or highly acidic foods. These simple but essential habits go a long way in ensuring good oral health.
Avoiding Harmful Habits
People who smoke or chew tobacco are at a much higher risk of acquiring dental problems and oral cancer. Smoking is the main cause of lung and oral cancer and governments that implement strict policies against the sale and use of cigarettes are effectively controlling the spread of 2 major chronic diseases. By giving up this habit that causes several other health complications you will be saving yourself from several potential health issues.
Going For Regular Dental Checkups
A dental checkup is the most effective preventive measure against oral diseases. When you go for a dental checkup near you, your dentist conducts a thorough examination of your mouth to look for signs of dental problems that may have escaped your notice. Additionally, there are certain areas of the mouth that you cannot get a good look at yourself that might develop infections. Not only this, an experienced dentist can also discover the early signs of oral cancer during an oral cancer screening as part of the dental checkup.
Taking care of your oral health and keeping oral diseases at bay has several benefits, the most important one being that preventive care always costs less than emergency dental care.
If you are looking for the most trusted services in dental checkups in SW Calgary, our expert dentists at Bow Trail Dental have all your needs covered.