The dentistry field has been transforming as dentists strive to provide patient-centric services. For instance, the changes have seen the rise in demand for functional dentists. Unlike traditional dentists who focus on diagnosing and treating dental issues, functional dentists honour the mouth-body connection. Thus, their focus rests on finding the root cause of dental problems. This article highlights unique techniques that functional dentists rely on.
Proper Breathing During Sleep
Many people cannot tell how proper breathing during sleep affects oral health. Well, the body repairs itself during sleep, and that includes the mouth. When your airway is in a poor position during sleep, you cannot get enough oxygen into your entire system. Most importantly, a poor breathing technique dries up the mouth, leading to bacteria growth and bad breath. Consequently, the condition weakens your immune system since harmful bacteria from your mouth travels to your stomach and intestines. A functional dentist encourages patients to breathe through the nose and not the mouth to help improve oral health.
Boost Enamel's Self-Remineralisation
Most people think that once the enamel is destroyed, it cannot be restored. However, nothing could be further from the truth because teeth are made of living tissue and cellular materials capable of rebuilding. Notably, functional dentists understand that the enamel can remineralise naturally. Thus, most of the advice you receive from a functional dentist focuses heavily on diet and nutrition to maximise the body's natural remineralisation process. For instance, functional dentists recommend that people avoid regularly eating and drinking highly acidic beverages and foods since they tarnish and damage the cellular structure in tooth enamel. The experts also encourage patients to take helpful vitamins and supplements rich in trace minerals. Most importantly, boosting the enamel's natural remineralisation process goes a long way in preventing caries and periodontal disease.
Balanced Oral Microbiome
The human microbiome is crucial to the body's overall wellbeing, including oral health. However, with most of the 100 trillion microbes in the body found in the gut, it is easy to understand why whatever happens in the mouth also happens to the rest of the body. Therefore, functional dentists insist on the importance of maintaining a balanced oral microbiome since an imbalance kills good microbes in the mouth, leading to bad breath and the build-up of tartar between the teeth and gums. Besides, a functional dentist encourages simple practices, such as tongue brushing and flossing, to support a balanced oral microbiome.
Contact a company like Whitehills Dental Practice to learn more.
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