Our oral health is incredibly important. More Americans are experiencing bad oral health than ever. We are constantly using our mouths every day to speak and eat food. Our teeth are susceptible to different oral diseases that can end up causing us serious harm.
Unfortunately, these oral diseases can end up costing us a fortune to take care of. This can lead to expensive visits to our dentist’s office that may end up breaking the bank. This is why it is crucial that you take care of your oral health as much as you possibly can. Dr. Thomas Ocheltree has some information about the costs of oral health and how it can hurt you in the short-term and long-term.
Understanding The Impact of Poor Oral Health
Oftentimes, people do not consider the fact that poor oral health can affect the entire body. While poor oral health can end up requiring expensive dental work to maintain your teeth, there are other hidden expenses that can end up racking up medical bills. The mouth is the entry point for all things to enter the body. Eating junk food and drinking sugary drinks can end up affecting the mouth and the rest of the body.
Poor Oral Health Can Cause Heart Disease
Did you know that the mouth is considered to be one of the germiest places in the body? Bacteria can accumulate here if you do not properly clean your teeth and use mouthwash to destroy those germs. Unfortunately, bacteria can end up entering the bloodstream and cause heart disease. The bacteria can end up creating inflammation. This can cause a heart attack or worse. The medical bills for these issues can rack up and hurt you financially.
COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a major health concern for many Americans. While COPD is normally contracted by individuals who smoke, it can also develop whenever oral health conditions are poor. The bacteria in the throat can end up localizing in the airway. This will cause an increased risk of airway troubles that can end up causing the disease to develop quicker. This can cause people to experience pneumonia and other airway illnesses. It is advised that you do not smoke regularly to avoid this issue. Smoking can cause other detriments to your oral health and is a costly habit. However, nothing will be more costly than developing COPD.
Poor Oral Health Can Bring About Diabetes
Bacteria can enter the bloodstream. These bacteria can end up causing individuals to experience an increase in blood sugar that can cause them to experience diabetic symptoms. This will require individuals to receive a regular dosage of insulin in order to maintain their metabolic levels. Diabetic costs are incredibly expensive and will end up hurting your wallet in the long run. Diabetes is often a life-long condition that cannot be cured without extensive lifestyle changes. Be sure to avoid this completely by taking care of your oral health.
Constant Visits to The Dentist
Poor oral health can cause you to experience oral diseases such as periodontal disease. This is just one example that can occur whenever you neglect your teeth’s health. This will cause your gum line to recede and may cause your teeth to fall out. Visiting the dentist consistently for replacement teeth is a very costly endeavor that can be completely avoided if you were to take care of your teeth. Mouth cancer is also another condition that can develop if you aren’t careful. These medical conditions are incredibly costly.
Tips to Keep Your Mouth Clean
Fortunately, we have some tips that will help you take better care of your mouth. Dr. Thomas Ocheltree recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day. You want to make sure to do this when you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed at night. Be sure to integrate flossing into each cleaning session. This will help remove any unwanted food particles that will harm your teeth by causing them to decay. Avoid drinking too many sugary drinks and avoid junk food to ensure your teeth will remain in good health.
Meeting the Doctor
Dr. Thomas Ocheltree cares about his patients and does everything he can to educate them on proper dental health. He enrolled in Augustana College and The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine. He received his surgical training there and would go on to assist the United States Navy in the advanced education in general dentistry program. He continues to help individuals who are in need of dental assistance by practicing empathy and keeping his dental skills sharp.