Dental health is many times neglected and the reasons behind this are many, probably one of the most common reasons people don’t give the necessary importance to dental health is the fear of going to the dentist, many associate the dentist with pain and/or discomfort; and likely the second most common reason has to do with money, getting dental treatments depending on what you need can be pricey, but this is also directly related with the frequency of visits to the dentist, according to Dr. Simon Flikier of the Flikier Dental Institute in Costa Rica, it is recommended to make at least one visit every six months, better if you can do three (one every four months); preventing problems or catching them on time will help you save a lot of money, time and health problems. This is where dental tourism becomes an ally in keeping us healthier, dental treatments in countries like Costa Rica are a lot more affordable, while you are also getting excellent care.

Dental health is not limited to the keeping your mouth and teeth healthy and looking good as many would think, having poor dental care can actually affect your overall health, the mouth is full of different bacteria, but cavities and plaque are just a small part of the many problems that you can experience, bacteria can enter the bloodstream when we eat, chew and brush our teeth, these bacteria can then be carried to other parts of the body, causing different health problems. Bad dental care can lead to:

Dementia and Alzheimer: a study made by the New York University in 2010 concluded that there is a relation between inflammation of the gums and periodontal disease and Alzheimer, this was an investigation that took more than 20 years, and they demonstrated that patients with periodontal disease had low scores in cognitive function, which means people with periodontal disease are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Cardiovascular disease: a study by Bristol University in 2008 showed that people with gingivitis had a higher risk of suffering cardiovascular problems. This because when the bacteria enter the bloodstream it can cause atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and could eventually lead to heart attacks. Endocarditis has also been associated with bacteria coming from the mouth, as it can cause the inner lining of the heart to become infected.
Respiratory Infections: Oral bacteria can be breathed in and aspirated into the lungs which can cause infections.

Diabetic Complications: Diabetics can have a harder time controlling their blood sugar if they have periodontal disease of inflammation of the gum.

Odontologists can also diagnose other health problems such as: Oral Cancer, Anemia and Osteoporosis.

Making regular visits to your dentist is a must if you want to avoid health complications; new technology and methods available today make your visit to the dentist a lot more pleasant, if the problem is high costs, dental tourism is an option. According to the American College of Prosthodontics more than 35 million American are losing their teeth, Modern Healthcare reports that many don’t have dental insurance or have one with minimum coverage; and while in the U.S.A. a dental implant can cost in average 4 thousand dollars here in Costa Rica the cost is of approximately 1,500 dollars.

So there’s no excuse, travel to Costa Rica, take care of your teeth and overall health while you enjoy an awesome vacation.