Wants vs. Needs

NEED- something you must have

WANT – something you would like to have

Over the past decade, Gallup polls have tracked Americans’ access to “basic necessities,” such as food, shelter, clean water, and healthcare. Gallup’s list of basic necessities includes 13 items, which can be grouped into three broad categories:

• Food
• Housing
• HEALTH

Unless it’s a cosmetic situation, no one ever ‘wants’ dental treatment – no one ‘wants’ to come to the dentist (except maybe to our office because we are so great). Our job at here at Smile Sarasota is to assess your dental situation and tell you what you ‘need’ to achieve optimum dental health. So why do we put off NEEDED dentistry? Sometimes it’s a matter of finances, fear of dental treatment, or…it’s just not viewed as a priority. The first two we understand and can easily address if we know the situation. With regard to prioritizing, patients tend to want to separate their mouth from the rest of the body and this is just wrong! Here’s why:

Like many areas of the body, your mouth is teeming with bacteria — most of them harmless. Normally the body’s natural defenses and good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing, can keep these bacteria under control. However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease.

In addition, certain medications — such as decongestants, antihistamines, painkillers, diuretics and antidepressants — can reduce saliva flow. Saliva washes away food and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, helping to protect you from microbial invasion or overgrowth that might lead to disease.

Studies also suggest that oral bacteria and the inflammation associated with periodontitis — a severe form of gum disease — might play a role in some diseases. In addition, certain diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and HIV/AIDS, can lower the body’s resistance to infection, making oral health problems more severe.

If you have questions about treatment that has been recommended by Dr. Still, he is glad to see you for a no-charge consultation or speak with you over the phone. So don’t put off needed dentistry – it’s a matter of achieving and keeping maximum oral health and that is something you NEED to do!

 

Credit: Mayo Clinic