Of course, everyone wants a perfect smile. A bright smile raises your confidence, but the benefits of a beautiful smile are more than just cosmetic. There are links between poor oral health and conditions that involve the heart, the brain, and other parts of the body, which is all the more reason to practice good oral hygiene. 

One of the first signs of poor oral health is a diminished smile. While most see it as a cosmetic issue, there’s often an underlying problem. A cosmetic dentist near you can help you fix the underlying issue while working with you to get your beautiful smile back. Let’s look at the common signs of poor oral health and how to improve them.

Missing Teeth

One of the most common reasons people lose teeth is dental decay and gum disease. Poor daily oral hygiene and specific diets are the main culprits. Many people’s diet contains refined carbohydrates, which provide a source for bacteria in the mouth when broken down. If you’re not brushing and flossing regularly, the unhealthy bacteria can take over the oral environment and cause tooth decay or bone loss, leading to loose teeth. When your teeth decay or erode beyond the point of repair, or if bone loss progresses until teeth are extremely loose, treatment often requires removing the affected teeth. Unfortunately, after losing our baby teeth and developing our adult teeth, we do not get another chance at “growing” another set of teeth. Open spaces in the mouth due to missing teeth may reflect poor overall systemic health, cause problems with the jaw, and affect processing food properly.

Chipped, Worn, and Broken Teeth

Teeth can chip, wear down or break throughout your lifetime. Dental enamel is the hardest substance in the body, and rightfully so, with how hard it has to work. We expose our teeth to hot coffee, cold ice cream, acidic drinks and food, crunchy foods, and various other substances that are hard on enamel. As people progress through life, teeth become more prone to chipping, wearing down, and breaking. These inevitable situations do not only occur in older teeth. Sometimes accidents happen during sports, you fall on cement, or even biting a piece of hard candy can lead to problems. When teeth chip, wear down, or break, it can be painful. Preventive care can reinforce cracked teeth before they break, but cosmetic dentistry options are available to get your smile back if an accident does happen.

Your mouth is an entry point to the body

The body is a system, and the mouth not only reflects and portrays your health and personality, but it also plays a vital role as the entry point to your entire body’s system. Several research findings suggest an association between poor oral health and the following health issues: heart diseaserheumatoid arthritis, and lung cancer. One hypothesis is that gum disease triggers inflammation throughout the body, increasing a person’s risk of illness.

By committing to your overall health, you can have a radiant smile. Preventative dental care is key in keeping your smile and body healthy. Guilliot Dental can provide routine dental care in addition to cosmetic dentistry services if you want to improve your smile. Contact them today to make an appointment at their Lafayette or Broussard location.