1. Soft Tissue Health (Periodontal Health)
The soft tissue and the periodontium are the supporting foundation for the teeth. Compromise of these structures from bacterial infection and inflammation may lead to abscesses, tooth mobility, shifting of teeth and even tooth loss. The associated inflammation from bacteria as a result of poor oral hygiene, not only has deleterious effects on the oral structures, but it also negatively affects other organs of the body including the heart, lung, kidney and liver, just to name a few. Inflammation also affects metabolic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
2. Hard Tissue Health (Missing Teeth)
Hard tissue health involves dental issues related to the teeth. These issues can be biologic or functional in nature. Biologic issues include: caries and pulpal health while functional issues include missing teeth, tooth fractures and dental trauma. Many times, these issues present with no pain or swelling but require proper care and treatment. Continued evaluation of the teeth is vital to maintain adequate mastication, esthetics and function. Missing teeth allow the adjacent teeth to shift creating gaps causing a cascade of other dental issues to develop. Not addressing these problems in a timely fashion may cause future restorative treatment to be compromised or more complex.
3. Function & Tooth Alignment (Occlusion)
The position of your teeth in each arch and the relative position of the upper and lower arches to each other creates your bite (occlusion). When teeth are crowded, it creates esthetic concerns which may contribute to low self-confidence and low self-esteem. Dentally, poorly positioned teeth are at high risk for poor oral hygiene (inflammation), poor periodontal health and decay. Poorly positioned teeth makes restoring these teeth with fillings or crowns more complex or impossible. When your occlusion (bite) is “off”, it can introduce trauma to your teeth which could result in tooth sensitivity and pain. It may also cause pain in the head/neck and facial muscles as well as the TM joint. Poorly positioned teeth can also contribute to tooth wear, fractured teeth and restorations, obstructive sleep apnea and other related airway issues.
4. Esthetics
Creating esthetic smiles within the framework of a healthy oral cavity promotes a patient’s confidence and self-esteem. Esthetic dentitions will be fabricated based upon the tenants of the pillars of oral health. The esthetic principles of form and function will be utilized to create smiles that are symmetric, balanced and complimentary to the patient’s facial features. The biology of the teeth will be respected as well as the relationship of the hard and soft tissues.
5. Airway (OSA & Airway Issues)
A good night’s sleep is paramount to one’s overall health. Healthy sleep consists of several different stages in the sleep cycle during which time critical metabolic processes take place allowing the body to repair itself and release critical hormones. Interruption of the sleep cycle interferes with these processes, causing not only tiredness, but memory issues, mood changes, stress, lack of concentration, weakened immune system and an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and possibly death due to obstructive sleep apnea.
The causes of poor sleep are numerous and multifactorial, but the main causes are usually related to airway issues. Airway issues can be caused by anatomical considerations such as a large tongue, narrow jaws, poor muscle tone, large adenoids and tonsils, large nasal turbinates and a small oral cavity. All of these issues can lead to snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Airway screenings, clinical evaluations and referring patients to airway centric ENT physicians for sleep studies and diagnosis is critical for identifying and treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea which will restore proper sleep for one’s overall health and may even save their life.
6. Oral Health as an Overall Part of Systemic Health
The oral cavity and surrounding Head/Neck structures are part of the body. The condition of one’s oral health has a direct impact on every other part of the body and the condition of one’s systemic health influence the health of the oral cavity.
Inflammation is a key mediator in this relationship. When we identify, treat and manage oral inflammation by reducing the risk factors that contribute to it, we are effectively improving our overall health. The side effects of many medications affect the oral cavity.
Directly or indirectly, medications can affect the gums, teeth and bone. There is a direct correlation between periodontal health and diabetes. Let’s not forget the smoking and it’s causal relationship with oral and systemic cancers.
