Oral health is closely linked to the individual’s health. It is not possible to classify a person as healthy when they have periodontal disease. On World Smile Day, celebrated this Sunday (28), it is essential to understand that keeping your smile up to date is not just an aesthetic issue. Low immunity, HIV and diabetes, for example, can lead to chain complications, hence the importance of carrying out specialized monitoring with a dentist.
“Some patients who have systemic diseases or who take some type of medication for cancer treatment already have a more weakened immune system and need to be more attentive, because they are more susceptible to different changes”, explains the consultant dentist at Hapvida Interodonto, Caroline Cavalcante.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), oral diseases affect around 3.5 billion people worldwide. In Brazil, periodontal diseases, which are characterized by inflammation of the tissues that support the teeth, have been identified as one of the main causes of tooth loss.
Brushing your teeth after meals is the minimum care that everyone needs to take to maintain their oral health. According to the dentist, the rinse is helpful, but floss must be used daily to reach places where the brush cannot reach.
“It is very important that, even with all these precautions, you have an appointment with a dentist every six months. If any warning sign appears, which could be excessive bleeding, an injury or a spot, it is necessary to return early”, he warns.
The specialist explains that the bleeding could be gingivitis – inflammation of the gums – caused by inadequate brushing, or it could be associated with pregnancy, puberty or even stress. The accurate diagnosis is given after specialized evaluation. If necessary, treatment will be carried out in a multidisciplinary manner, with the involvement of other specialties, including psychiatry.
“Tatar, which is that hardened yellowish part that we remove during cleaning, when it is not removed, can grow inside the gums and reach the bone. This is periodontitis, and it can cause tooth softening or even loss. It is also closely associated with patients with diabetes”, says the dentist.
In these cases, blood glucose control is recommended, but also frequent cleaning of plaque and gums to avoid inflammation. People with HIV or lupus tend to have low immunity, which increases the propensity for oral diseases, including candidiasis, caused by a fungus. Any changes, such as bad breath or burning sensation, are also signs of attention.
Unlike cavities, which can lead to tooth extraction, in periodontitis, inflammation can result in compromise of the arch or part of it. “It is a silent, chronic disease and has no cure, which is why it needs to be closely monitored by the dentist, as it can lead to extensive tooth loss all at once”, he reports.
The mouth is full of bacteria and, in case of inflammation, they can enter the bloodstream, reach organs such as the brain and heart and generate complications; hence the importance of oral health. Bedridden or hospitalized patients are also more prone to infections.
“Health is not the absence of disease, it is physical and mental well-being. And the smile is our postcard, the way to express one of the most interesting feelings: joy. Therefore, it is important to always take care of it to stay healthy and aesthetically satisfactory, as it impacts self-esteem”, concludes Cavalcante.
About Hapvida NotreDame Intermédica
With 78 years of experience from acquisitions during its history in the country, Hapvida NotreDame Intermédica is today the largest health and dentistry company in Latin America. The company, which has more than 67 thousand employees, serves around 15.9 million health and dental beneficiaries and has at its disposal the largest own service network with an integrated system that connects units in the five regions of the country.
The entire apparatus was built based on a comprehensive and integrated vision, focused on health care through 87 hospitals, 77 emergency rooms, 339 medical clinics and 293 imaging diagnosis and laboratory collection centers, in addition to units specifically focused on care. preventive and chronic. This business combination, supported by medical quality and innovation, results in a company with the best human and technological resources for its customers.
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