Oral Health for Men
Oral Health for Men
Men are less likely to visit doctors and dentists for routine examinations compared with their female counterparts and they tend to only get their teeth checked once they notice a problem. As early detection helps stop dental diseases taking hold, putting off going to the dentist can mean the problem is more severe once they do go. Compounding this is the fact that they pay less attention to their oral health and many of them only brush their teeth once a day. The American Dental Association recommends that you should brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, eat good nutritious foods and avoid snacking to have good oral health.
Your mouth is a window to the rest of your body
Medical scientists are increasingly discovering that gum disease and other dental disease are markers for more serious disease in the body and if you have gum disease or tooth decay you are more likely to develop high blood pressure, insulin resistance, diabetes type two, heart disease and unwanted weight gain. Dental infections can also spread from the mouth to other areas of the body if they are left untreated and in severe cases, this can be fatal.
Inflammation is a normal immune system reaction and occurs when the immune system sends white blood cells to an injured or diseased part of the body to help kill off the infection or repair the damage. This results in the characteristic swelling and redness of the skin. This process is normally beneficial but if the inflammation is chronic and persistent it can do more harm than good and lead to auto-immune problems such as rheumatoid arthritis as the immune system struggles to cope with constant, low grade inflammation. Psychological changes such as depression can also result as a response to inflammation as well as coagulation of the blood and even thickening of the carotid artery. Although the mechanism isn’t fully understood, doctors believe this is why people with gum disease are prone to heart disease. In a survey of dental habits in Scotland that involved just under 12,000 subjects, the people were followed up for eight years to assess their long-term health and in that time there were 555 cardiovascular disease events, of which 140 were fatal. The people who rarely or never brushed their teeth had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Men are more likely to have a heart attack and one of the reasons may be irregular dental hygiene patterns and the fact that men neglect their health needs. Due to the fact that more men have a heart problem, more are also taking heart medication that can interfere with saliva production. As saliva helps to kill off bacteria in the mouth, this can cause or worsen any existing dental health problem.
What are the symptoms of gum disease?
The symptoms of gum disease are:
- Red or swollen gums
- Receding gums
- Bleeding gums after brushing your teeth
- Persistent mouth ulcers
- Bad breath
- Wobbly teeth or tooth loss.
If you have any of these symptoms you may have gum disease and should seek dental advice. Gum disease will affect your smile. Your gums may have a shrivelled appearance and you will seem longer in the tooth as more of the root is exposed. This can damage self-esteem. If you’ve developed bad breath that won’t go away, you might be shying away from intimacy or becoming worried at work. Gum disease can affect multiple aspects of a person’s life.
Periodontal surgery
If you think you need periodontal surgery but are worried about the cost of having treatment, contact us. We offer treatment with specialized surgeons at a price you can afford. Treatments available are:
Gum Grafting – During surgery, tissue will be grafted from the roof of your mouth to cover exposed roots. This not only improves your look but decreases root sensitivity so you can enjoy cold drinks once again. Sometimes, donor tissue is used instead of your own. Some people choose this option because it is less painful and has a quicker recovery.
Regenerative Surgery – Your surgeon will fold back your gums to remove any bacteria that may be trapped underneath. Tissue nutritive proteins or bone graft can also be placed to trigger your body into regenerating its own bone and tissue, thus reversing gum disease.
Reducing Gum Pockets – Gum pockets are gaps between the tooth and the gum that result when the gum starts to pull away from the tooth. The gap then fills with bacteria, giving rise to bad breath and other problems. In pocket reduction surgery, the gum is folded back and any diseased bone is removed to prevent further infection and allow the gum to re-attach to healthy bone.
Don’t suffer in silence; safeguard your future health by contacting us today for a quote.
