Although visiting your dentist every six months for a routine checkup is essential to safeguarding your smile, it’s just as important to care for it at home, too. Monitoring your own dental condition allows you to identify areas of concern before they worsen. For example, if you’re paying close attention, you’re more likely to notice inflamed gums from gingivitis and take action to halt the disease before it progresses into periodontitis.
However, many patients aren’t familiar enough with their mouths to know when something isn’t right. Continue reading to learn about your oral anatomy so you can make informed decisions to protect your grin!
Teeth
These bony structures preserve your facial shape by stimulating new bone growth every time you bite down. This keeps your jawbone active and healthy and continues to provide the foundational support your mouth needs.
Furthermore, you rely on your pearly whites to sufficiently grind your food so that it is easily swallowed and digested, as well as to form specific sounds and words that are clearly understood by others.
Gums
Your gums are the connective tissue that supports your teeth and keeps them in place. They also cover the roots of your pearly whites to protect them from bacteria and acid damage to preserve your oral well-being. They can become infected if plaque is allowed to form around your teeth, but flossing twice daily after brushing your teeth can help keep disease at bay.
Tongue
It may not be the strongest muscle in your body, but your tongue is among the busiest! You press it against your teeth in specific ways to enunciate different sounds and manipulate food in your mouth to be more thoroughly chewed. It also does a lot of work you might not even be aware of. For example, it’s responsible for constantly swallowing saliva, even when you’re asleep.
Lips & Cheeks
Your lips and cheeks are made up of sturdy facial muscles that allow you to express a myriad of emotions. You couldn’t speak, smile, frown, or kiss without them. They also keep your food in place while you eat and help you breathe, which are both essential functions that keep your body healthy.
Salivary Glands
Many people don’t realize that digestion starts in their mouths. When you bite into something, saliva glands located throughout your mouth emit saliva, which immediately starts working to break it down. Your spit also helps safeguard your grin because it has a nearly neutral pH balance to counteract any acid damage from foods while simultaneously rinsing away harmful particles and germs.
Now that you understand how your mouth works, you can more easily identify potential problems!
About the Author
Dr. Tariq Shiyab has 20+ years of experience helping people build and maintain happy, healthy smiles. He obtained his Bachelor of Dentistry from the Jordan University of Science and Technology and then completed a second program in Advanced Dentistry at Washington State. He gives you 100% of his attention so you can trust that you’re being listened to, regardless of your current dental condition. Then, he creates fully individualized solutions to meet your unique needs. With state-of-the-art technology onsite, he can give you accurate, long-lasting treatments that protect your grin. If you need a checkup, you can request an appointment on the website or call (904) 287-0033.