During summer, our habits, our routines change with holidays, days at the beach, meals out, etc. It all makes us let things go and forget about our oral health. However, as Dr. Javier Togores Guigou, a dental specialist at Hospiten Rambla University Hospital, states, taking care of our oral health is essential, in summer too, since "it is the gateway to eating and breathing". which means that any infection or problem in our mouth will spread, at some point, to inside the body.
Dr. Togores explains that oral hygiene is very important because our teeth grind the food we eat to make it easier to digest, so neglecting our oral health can lead to digestive problems as food is not chewed properly.
The most common diseases derived from poor oral health are gingivitis and, in advanced stages, periodontitis. These diseases cause problems in the gums which if not treated, affect the supporting bone of the teeth and this can lead to the loss of teeth. Other conditions that are quite common at this time of the year are tooth decay, a build-up of plaque or tartar or dental hypersensitivity. Poor oral health will also aggravate any underlying or systemic disease suffered by the patient, points out the doctor.
The dentist explains that prevention and early detection are key to treating any disease related to our mouths. In addition, diagnosing these conditions in time will mean that treatments and procedures will be less expensive in the vast majority of cases, which is one of the main fears of patients when faced with interventions of this type.
Dr. Togores explains that, although prevention is important at all ages, we must be especially vigilant at an early age, since it favors the adoption of healthy habits in oral hygiene that will be carried into adulthood. He goes on to point out that people are becoming more aware of their oral health care.
The Spanish Regulatory Dental Board recommends going to the dentist at least once a year. "At Hospiten we recommend that our patients come every six months to be able to detect any problems in time and act as quickly as possible," explains Dr. Togores, who points out that if no treatment is necessary during the check-up, there is no cost.