For our series on oral care, this issue of Viva Health magazine brings advice from Dr. Patrick Bannerman-Agbesi, on why it is important to see your dentist regularly. He also touches on oral infections, the dangers they pose, and how to avoid them.
Our teeth are meant to last us a lifetime, but their ability to serve us is only as good as how well we take care of them. Care of your teeth goes beyond general dental hygiene; it also requires regular visits to your dentist – and the younger you are when you start, the better. Our limited medical infrastructure, financial concerns and cultural attitudes about seeking out preventative medical care likely contribute to how rarely Ghanaians visit dentists. These rare moments, overwhelmingly for emergency reasons, are highlighted by chaotic scenes in overcrowded facilities that make subsequent visits even less likely. Factor in the high cost of private dental care and an annual review increasingly looks like a luxury. This notwithstanding, you should still visit a dentist at least twice a year, for prophylactic scaling and cleaning and general examination
If you wait for pain to motivate you to make an appointment with your dentist, you are probably in more trouble than you fear. This is because some of the issues that affect the gum are often painless and do not interfere with daily habits for a long time – sometimes for years. Additionally, seeking over the counter remedies and other DIY solutions to address issues such as bad breath, bleeding gums and deposits between the teeth, may only serve to mask underlying problems, making that inevitable visit to the dentist far more unpleasant. Some of these symptoms
