Avoid Oral Surgery With These Dental Health Tips [BLOG]
Our team at the Oregon Smile Care Center love when you pay us a visit, but we understand that going to the dentist isn’t necessarily everyone’s favorite thing to do. That’s why, for today’s blog, we’re sharing some oral health tips that can help you avoid dental problems that would require oral surgery.
When Is Oral Surgery Necessary?
A person might need oral surgery for any number of reasons, such as:
– Tooth Extraction (to remove wisdom teeth or perhaps an infected tooth that can’t be saved)
– Root Canal (to save an infected or damaged tooth)
– Gum Therapy (to treat recession caused by gum disease, for example)
– Bone Grafting (to promote a healthy jawbone for dental implants, for example)
You can’t always avoid dental problems that require surgical treatment, but there are certainly things you can do to decrease their likelihood. Here are some tips!
Tips For Avoiding Oral Surgery
TIP #1: Practice Good Oral Hygiene
When it comes to your dental health, a proactive approach is best. Prevention is the key to avoiding oral surgery, so it’s important to have a good oral hygiene routine in place to keep your mouth clean of infection-causing bacteria. Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day is recommend for keeping things like tooth infections and gum disease at bay.
TIP #2: Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
We all have bacteria in our mouths, but it only becomes a problem when that bacteria is allowed to be fruitful and multiply! Bacteria thrives on sugars left behind from what you eat and drink, so keep sugary, highly processed foods to a minimum. Eating healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins can help prevent tooth decay and cavities. You should also try to avoid harmful habits such as smoking or using tobacco products and drinking alcohol in excess. Get adequate rest, drink plenty of water, and try to keep stress in your life well-managed through things like exercise and yoga, for example.
TIP #3: Wear Athletic Mouthguards
As much as we’d love to prevent accidents and injuries, they happen. It’s just part of life, especially when you’re a pretty active person. Athletic mouthguards are an effective way to protect yourself against oral injuries that could land you in the dentist’s chair.
TIP #4: Seek Necessary Treatment
We may not like it, but ignoring our problems won’t make them go away. In fact, ignoring them usually makes it worse. The same is true for dental problems. If you have a cavity, for example, you should get it filled before it turns into a bigger problem like an infected tooth that requires a root canal.
TIP #5: Replace Missing Teeth
When you lose a tooth, regardless of how or why, you become vulnerable to losing more teeth. That’s because without a root to support your jawbone, that bone will start to deteriorate and, consequently, weaken all your surrounding healthy teeth. Like we said before, it’s best to seek treatment and know your options in tooth replacement, such as dental implants from the Oregon Smile Care Center, before one lost tooth becomes several.
TIP #6: Schedule Routine Dental Cleanings & Exams
Maintaining a good oral hygiene routine at home is so important, but on its own, it’s not enough to achieve optimum dental health. You should keep up with routine dental cleanings and exams with Dr. Hanson and our team of skilled hygienists. We have the professional equipment and the experience to make sure your teeth and gums stay clean of disease-causing plaque and tartar buildup.
Unfortunately, there are times when oral surgery simply can’t be avoided. If that happens, come to the Oregon Smile Care Center. We have a highly trained team of professionals dedicated to your comfort and your healthiest smile possible. Our warm, friendly staff will do all we can to solve your dental problem gently and effectively so you can get back to enjoying life pain-free.
If it’s time for your next dental checkup, give us a call today at 503-837-2718 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment.