James E Sullivan DDS Dentist Fort Washington Maryland

If it has been a while since you had a dental cleaning, we recommend that you give us a call and schedule an appointment right away.  It is important to keep your teeth and gums in excellent health, both for your mouth and for the rest of your body. As a dentist, we understand that your teeth and gums influence more than the appearance of your smile. Here are a few examples.

Your heart

People may not realize that the same plaque that can clog one’s arteries is the plaque that people find on the teeth. There is a clear link between gum disease and heart disease with the majority of people that are treated for heart disease having both. While the research is still being conducted to determine the full extent of the connection, it is clear that if one wants a healthy heart, then healthy gums will be a contributing factor toward that goal.

Your comfort

In order to prevent an unpleasant toothache, it is important to receive ongoing dental care. The teeth and gums are one area of the body that people need to attend to even if there are no symptoms of something being wrong. While seemingly counterintuitive, this is the only way to prevent the discomfort of a toothache or other oral health problems. Upon scheduling a dental cleaning with our Fort Washington dental office, we will remove the plaque that has built up between the teeth, around the gum line and in all of the hard to reach places that people are not able to get to with regular brushing at home.

Most oral health problems do not happen overnight. Rather, they occur over time as the plaque is left in place and allowed to attack the teeth. Only by scheduling a professional cleaning can one be sure that his or her teeth are completely clean.  Additionally, if we identify any signs of cavities or gum disease, we can treat the condition before one experiences any discomfort.

Your teeth

Scheduling a dental cleaning twice a year will help patients to retain their natural teeth as they age. Adult tooth loss is incredibly common, impacting over 70 percent of the population. Whether a patient loses one tooth or all of his or her teeth, the patient is bound to be impacted by tooth loss unless the patient takes steps to prevent it. The best thing that a professional teeth cleaning does for the patient is that it allows us to remove plaque from around the gums. When plaque and tartar become trapped under the gum line, it can create gum disease. This, in turn, causes the gums to become red and swollen.

If gum disease is allowed to spread, then the gums will recede, and pockets will be created in the gum tissue. Bacteria can gather here and attack the tooth and roots, leading to loose teeth and the teeth eventually falling out. Fortunately, this is entirely preventable with ongoing dental care.

To learn more about how preventative care can help you to remain healthy, call us at (301) 248-8080 and schedule an appointment.