Everyone knows a dentist is the best person to keep your teeth, gums, and mouth healthy – but did you know that regular visits to the dental practice are also important to your general health? At our Harley Street clinic, we usually recommend you visit the dentist at least every six months for a general check-up to keep you healthy. Sometimes your clinician will tell you that you need to visit more frequently, and you should always follow this advice.
One of the most obvious links between dental health and general health is that the condition of your teeth and gums can affect your diet. If you have lost some or all of your natural teeth, your ability to eat a full, healthy and balanced diet, full of fruit and vegetables, will be impacted, and you are likely to find yourself restricted to a soft food or liquid diet.
As well as taking the pleasure out of eating, this can make it difficult to get adequate nutrients to keep your body healthy. Dietary restrictions also arise in some patients who wear traditional dentures, as they find that their jaw bone shrinks and their dentures become loose, making biting, chewing, and even speaking more difficult.
A dentist will always recommend replacing missing teeth to help eliminate these problems. At Harley Street Dental Clinic many of our patients have benefited from treatment with dental implants, which hold restorations permanently and securely in place, enabling you to enjoy a full diet once more.
Studies have also shown a link between gum disease and other conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and some problems in pregnancy. At Harley Street Dental Clinic our skilled team of experts can treat gum disease effectively – even if it has advanced to become the more serious form, periodontitis or periodontal disease – which helps to keep your mouth and your whole body healthy.