CUMMING, Ga., July 7, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Cumming periodontist wishes to educate the public on the importance of thorough, regular teeth care. According to Dr. Shelly Montes of Montes Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, regular attention to dental hygiene and prevention of tooth decay can make a significant difference in an individual's overall wellness and quality of life. "Tooth decay can not only cause you to lose your teeth, but it can contribute to chronic systemic disease," says Dr. Montes. "Even with the modern restorative techniques available today, we still urge people to care for their natural teeth."
Dr. Montes states that the contributions of teeth toward many essential health functions are not always fully appreciated, noting that digestion, for instance, begins in the mouth. "Food must be chewed thoroughly and mixed with saliva before it can be processed efficiently by the digestive tract," she says. "People with few or no teeth cannot get this benefit, meaning that they may derive less sustenance from their diet or suffer from chronic digestive ailments such as irritable bowel syndrome." Nutritional deficiencies from malabsorption of food, she adds, can play a role in many other serious health conditions as well.
Decay and diseases of the teeth can wreak their own havoc on oral and systemic health, according to Dr. Montes. "Tooth decay is far more serious than many people realize," says the periodontist, explaining that the bacteria attracted by plaque buildup can create major health complications. "These bacterium attacks, not only the teeth and the tissues that hold them in place, but it can also destroy bone and cause painful gum inflammation," she observes. "Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria can travel to various organs and do significant damage." She notes that, heart disease (coronary artery disease), diabetes, and respiratory disease have been linked directly to periodontal disease.
Dr. Montes urges her patients to follow a simple dental care routine that might save them from such issues in the future. This routine includes regular brushing and flossing, twice-yearly checkups and professional dental cleanings. "People tend to pay more attention to brushing than they do to flossing, but both steps are equally important because flossing gets rid of potentially dangerous plaque in hard-to-reach places," she says. The professional cleanings, she adds, are for removing any particularly stubborn or hardened plaque, a substance known as tartar that may still lurk on tooth surfaces and beneath the gum line. Scheduling two checkups per year explains the periodontist, allows Montes Periodontics & Implant Dentistry to diagnose and treat minor problems before decay or damage can progress. "Between good home care and professional dental care, people can keep their teeth for life," she says.
In addition to dental evaluations and cleanings, Montes Periodontics & Implant Dentistry offers a variety of family, cosmetic and restorative dental services for Cumming residents.