Preventive Dentistry – Worcester, MA
How We Keep Smiles Safe
Dr. Joseph Costa provides general dental services to patients of all ages. He is a family dentist who ensures a high care standard for all his patients. Through routine dental checkups and other preventive dentistry services, Dr. Costa helps to keep your family’s smiles healthy and beautiful.
Our family dental practice provides high-quality preventive dentistry in Worcester to patients of all ages. From 3 to 93, our team has the training and skill to provide appropriate care for growing and aging smiles. In the best-case scenario, dentistry is preventive and not reactive. We recommend that patients visit the dentist every six months for a routine dental exam and professional teeth cleaning. Routine dental care helps prevent minor dental concerns from developing into more complex issues.
General Dentistry Services
Healthy smiles are important for chewing and speaking, and good oral health helps protect your body from many systemic diseases. Patients with poor oral hygiene and deteriorating oral wellness are at a higher risk of certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
General dental services include:
- Crooked Teeth Treatment
- Dental Fillings
- Emergency Dentistry
- Family Dentistry
- Replacing Missing Teeth
- Root Canals
- Sports Mouthguards
- Tooth Pain
- Preventive Dental Care
- Tooth Extractions
Routine Dental Care and Disease Prevention
“The mouth is a portal into the rest of the body,” according to Dr. Donald Ratcliffe, chairman of the Department of Dental Medicine at Staten Island University Hospital in New York.
Research consistently shows a relationship between bacteria and inflammation in the mouth and other diseases throughout the body. Oral problems can often be symptoms of certain diseases and have been linked to an increase in the severity or risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, premature births, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Dr. Costa emphasizes routine dental care’s importance and its role in disease prevention. A couple of visits a year to our Worcester dental office can save both time and money down the road in both dental and overall health care.
Heart Disease
Those with gum disease have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Doctors are unsure of the exact reason for the link between the two diseases, but gum disease increases inflammation in the body, which can be a risk factor for heart disease. Bacteria from the mouth can also travel through the bloodstream and contribute to heart disease. Smoking, old age, and diabetes contribute to both gum disease and heart disease, which may explain their linked relationship.
Diabetes
Diabetes changes blood vessels and impairs blood flow. It can weaken the gums, leaving them susceptible to infection. It also increases blood sugar levels, which, if not managed properly, encourages bacteria growth in the mouth. A study found that dentists could identify patients with diabetes 73% of the time based on the condition of their teeth and gums, especially if teeth have been lost.
Premature Births
Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy can cause gum infections and gum disease or inflammation in the mouth, leading to early labor and the risk of premature, low-weight babies. A study found that women with gum disease are four to seven times more likely to give birth before week 37.
Practicing good oral habits and visiting your Worcester dentist at least twice a year is important for your mouth and other body parts. We work with patients who have been away from the dentist due to fear and dental anxiety, helping them regain a healthy smile.