Your Grand Rapids dentist-a cornerstone of your health and well-being.

We always tend to think of our oral health as separate from our overall health and this is not the case. In reality, the health of our teeth and gums is intertwined with our entire body.

Your mouth of course is the main entrance to the body. Gums and teeth are linked to the digestive, nervous, endocrine, lymphatic and skeletal systems and the bloodstream. So naturally your mouth and body share the harmful organisms that cause disease.

This is why Grand Rapids dentists are so important to your health and well-being. Your dentist is an expert in diagnosing and treating conditions of your teeth, gums, upper jaw and face. Problems with these areas of your body can of course impact your overall health.

The most important aspect of regular dental visits is your dentist can help you prevent damaging and costly oral health problems from occurring in the first place.

Who's the most important member of your Grand Rapids dental health team? Well the answer to that question would of course be you!

Even with the very best dental care, if you don't do your part, the health of your teeth and gums will rapidly deteriorate!

The good news is preventing major oral health conditions from occurring are very easy to do. In fact, most of us learned as children the 3 basic steps to fighting cavities and oral health disease through good oral hygiene.

Although personal dental hygiene practices differ depending on the general condition of your mouth and gums, the following three basic steps are crucial:

1. Brush your teeth after every meal, at least three times a day. Floss at least once a day. The fact is close to a majority of Americans fail to floss every day. Flossing must be considered as important to brushing. It's a crucial weapon in the fight against oral disease.

2. Eat a well-balanced diet. Good nutrition helps you maintain healthy teeth. Just as we learned as kids, stay away from the sugar filled snacks and sodas or at least limit your intake of such foods.

3. Have your teeth examined and cleaned every six months by a Grand Rapids Dentist. Your dentist may want you to have more routine checkups if you have gum disease or other conditions that place you at greater risk of oral health problems.