You will have a healthy mouth if you clean and floss all your teeth daily, right? No, not always. Bad dental hygiene can be a symptom of a deeper problem or a systemic condition for many adults and kids. It is essential to determine whether another problem affects a young child’s teeth, mouth, or gums and whether it is limiting their growth.
A dentist in the Newtonbrook West area of North York examines beyond a child’s teeth to determine their true health problem and makes recommendations for whole-body therapy.
Holistic approaches to pediatric dentistry
A comprehensive approach to dental treatment is known as holistic dentistry. It prioritizes children’s healthy growth using safe, natural, and less invasive techniques. Holistic pediatric dentistry understands that a child’s teeth are a lot more than just physical structures. They can tell you much about your health and overall well-being if you know what to look for.
Additionally, proactive is an extensive approach to pediatric dentistry. It involves careful observation to make sure a child’s face and teeth are growing consistently and free from any potential breathing, sleeping, or feeding problems. Poor dental hygiene practices are frequently viewed as the primary cause of oral problems in conventional pediatric dentistry.
When determining the root of a dental health issue, holistic pediatric dentistry takes other aspects into consideration:
- Lifestyle habits
- Activity level
- Sleeping pattern
- Diet
Diseases related to oral health
As many systemic diseases include symptoms or effects that may impact the mouth, there is a certain correlation between dental health and quality of life. Infections may spread to other areas of the body through the mouth, which also acts as an entrance opening.
The diseases and disorders that follow may be related to oral health:
- Diabetes: Periodontal (gum) disease is frequently seen in people with diabetes.
- Acid reflux: When this problem is present, stomach acids escape into the esophagus and mouth cavity. If it is nighttime reflux, it could damage the oral cavity by staying there for hours.
- Frequent vomiting: Similar to acid reflux, vomiting pushes stomach acids into the mouth, which can harm tissues.
- Stroke and heart disease: The same bacteria that cause gingivitis and periodontitis can enter the bloodstream and interfere with the blood arteries in the heart and brain.
- Kidney disease: Kidney disease impairs the immune system, which increases the possibility of developing severe gum disease infections.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: It is possible that the same bacteria that inflame the mouth and cause dental disease may also cause this form of arthritis to occur.
- Lupus: Gum disease is more likely to affect people with lupus since the disease damages the glands that produce saliva.