Updating your Health History May Help Save Your Teeth

Although you might think of your general health and your dental health as two separate categories, they are much more connected than the average Lexington resident would suspect. Just like the information you provide to your doctor helps him/her keep your health in good shape, Dr. Brewer depends on your input for optimum dental health. We at Brewer Family Dental like to go above and beyond for our Lexington patients, but we need your help to make sure you get the quality dental care you deserve. Here are a few reasons why:

The average Lexington resident might not think to mention to their dentist what’s going on with their physical health, but you’d be surprised how much that information can make a difference in your oral care. Dr. Brewer needs to be able to see the whole picture so that we can keep your teeth healthy and beautiful.

Diabetes and Dental Health

750,000  Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year. However, few diabetes sufferers know the full extent of the disorder’s effect on your teeth. If you have diabetes, you are much more likely to develop:

• Tooth decay
• Advanced Gum disease
• Xerostomia (dry mouth)
• Oral ulcers
• Fungal infections

TMJ

Temporomandibular joint disfuntion (TMD/TMJ) results from improper workings of your jaw joint. Unfortunately the symptoms of TMJ are so diverse that most Lexington people would never think to tell Dr. Brewer about them. However, we at Brewer Family Dental can treat your TMD. Here are a few common symptoms signs of TMJ:

• Abnormally sensitive teeth
• Painful chewing
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Neck pain and/or stiffness
• Earaches
• Ringing in the ears
• Face pain
• Jaw aches
• Popping, clicking, or grinding of the jaw
• Frequent dislocation or locking of the jaw
• Difficulty or pain in opening the mouth wide

Physical impairments to brushing/flossing

If you have recently injured your hands, fingers, arms, shoulders, or suffer from any type of arthritis or physical disability, you may not be able to brush and floss as well as you should. There are ways to help Lexington residents improve their dental health beyond brushing and flossing, but Dr. Brewer needs to know so that we can provide you with the oral hygiene help you need.

Side-Effects and Dental Health

Did you know that more than 600 over-the-counter and prescription medications cause dry mouth, and many others can harm teeth in different ways? In fact, it is estimated that 40% of the population takes at least one medication that can harm their teeth.
So the next time you visit Brewer Family Dental and Dr. Brewer asks how you are, be honest! Dental health and general health go hand in hand. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us today!

Sources

http://www.diabetes.org/
http://drc.hhs.gov/report/pdfs/section15-systematic.pdf
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Teeth_and_drug_use
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/oral-side-effects-of-medications
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/05/000529093840.htm