What Is It?

Healthy and terrific smiles have several things in common:

• Your gums and teeth are healthy and do not allow infections to enter your body
• The structure of your jaw and teeth are strong and stable
• The teeth are straight
• The teeth are evenly spaced with no gaps
• The teeth are white and smooth, not stained or pitted
• The top teeth show when you smile, but not excessive gum tissue
• The gumline is smooth and even
• The edges of the top teeth follow the curve of the lower lip
• Your overall health is enhanced and you feel better

Oral and dental wellness and overall health is a concept that consists of several components:

First, increasingly medical evidence is showing the important link of oral health to overall body health. The mouth serves as a major point of introduction to infections that can enter the body. Cavities and poor gum health can lead to infections entering the body and bloodstream. Evidence is pointing to many illnesses resulting from these infections. Thus, an important component of oral and dental wellness is to ensure that your first line of defense (your mouth) is healthy and does not allow infections to enter your body.

Second, aside from infections, the structure of the mouth and teeth are critical to overall well being. The position of the jawbone to relation to the skull can lead to symptoms such as headaches, back aches, neck pain, and other problems. Grinding of teeth due to stress can lead to problems. The position of the jaw during sleep can affect the quality of rest and sleep you get. Thus, another important component of oral and dental wellness is insuring a stable structure of the mouth and teeth to alleviate structural pain issues.

Third, the smile is an important component to self-esteem and the impression you make with others. A beautiful smile consists of several factors, including the size, position, and color of the teeth, the relationship of teeth to gums and lips, and the relationship of the smile to the face. We all appreciate the importance of a great smile, and oral and dental wellness includes the feeling of wellness you get from being happy and proud about your smile.

Fourth, oral and dental wellness consists of the feeling of pride and comfort you receive in knowing that you are taking care of yourself, your health, and your self-esteem.

Finally, oral and dental wellness consists of the feeling of satisfaction you receive by getting treated with respect and care at your oral and dental wellness providers.

Let us help you to take care of your oral and dental wellness, and you will be healthier, feel better, and look better.