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Oral Health and Early Disease Detection

Most of your dentist's patients enjoy robust health, and he or she is thankful for that. In fact, if you are faithful about your "recall" appointments (regular check-ups) he or she probably sees you more often than your physician does. That means much more to him or her than finding a small cavity, or more than a chance to catch up on your comings and goings between visits.

As your primary dental health care provider, your dentist has a singular and weighty responsibility: early detection of disease. When he or she sizes up the health of your gums, tongue, neck, jaw, the mental check-list is long, he or she looks and feels. He or she "invisibly" observes your general health, head, skin, glands, sinuses (and teeth, of course).

What is your dentist looking for? Simply put, anything wrong. Among them: dry mouth, bacterial infections, any lesions on the mucous membranes, gum color and texture, soreness or ulcerations, you get the idea. It's important for you to share with your dentist any general health problems you may have noticed or changes in medications. He or she needs the whole picture.

Practicing preventive dentistry is very important. There are more than 200 known diseases of the oral cavity. Your dentist is on the look-out for all of them. Not only can an oral problem signal local trouble, but it may indicate something systemic, something throughout your body.

For this reason, your six-month recall visit may be the most important exam you have all year. If a cavity is found, that can be fixed. If evidence of something more serious is found, then you benefit from the advantage of early detection.

Your dentist and dental hygienist want all of their patients to take these exams seriously. A cavity or canker sore, after all, is one thing. Your whole health, quite another.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

A Dental Hygienist Refresher Course On Flossing

How many times have you heard your dentist and dental hygienist tell you to floss? You nod your head and, maybe, you try flossing for a while. Then old habits take over. Well, it bears repeating: is one of the best things you can do to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Bacteria accumulate between the teeth and where the tooth meets gum tissue. Every 24 hours brings a new batch. Brushing won't get rid of the bacteria, flossing correctly will.

Flossing before or after brushing should be a part of your home oral health care program. It doesn't matter which floss you use, and it doesn't require special skills, although practice makes perfect.

Here's a general routine to follow: wrap floss around your fingers, leaving five to six inches to work with. Keep the floss tight.

When the floss frays, re-loop the floss and continue flossing.

If you feel as if you're all thumbs, use a flossing threader. Your dentist or dental hygienist can show you how.

Choose a section of teeth; say your upper molars, which are most difficult to reach. Follow the curve of enamel on every surface, reaching wherever you can, with about three passes each time.

If an opening between teeth is tight, you may have to gently pull the floss toward the gum line. Be careful not to damage soft tissue.

Work from the back teeth toward the front while flossing, and then repeat the process on the other side. Rinse when you're done. The time you invest in plaque removal will pay real dividends at your next dentist cleaning visit. Your dental hygienist will be proud!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.