Did you know the CDC reports that more than 29 million American suffer from diabetes? Did you know that another 86 million Americans suffer from pre diabetes? That is nearly one in three Americans! Additionally, over 70 million Americans have hypertension. Finally, the NIH states that more than 35% of Americans are obese. What this means is that there is a very high probability that you or someone you love suffers from one of these three medical problems. At Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry, we are dedicated to not only providing the highest quality dental care to our patients but also to educating all within reach about oral health issues that we feel are important. Today we will tackle some serious oral health implications tied to the presence of these three maladies.
Does your child play sports? If so, you are probably aware that there is a risk for mouth injuries in sports. We hear so much about oral injuries as it relates to football, sometimes so much that it prevents us from seeing how prevalent it is in other sports. Many studies have shown the high levels of occurrence of oral injuries in basketball, skating, hockey, and gymnastics.
Do You Brush Your Teeth Correctly? Maybe Not 
The reasons to quit smoking are nearly to numerable to mention. The American Heart Association says that smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in America. Smoking causes nearly 20% of the deaths in this country and nearly all lung cancers are caused by smoking. Smokers live on average 13 years less than non smokers. This is only the mortality related bad news associated with smoking. Systemic and local problems arise from smoking that may indirectly or directly lead to disease or death. The good news is that the percentage of Americans that smoke has been on the decline now for over 15 years. The AHA also says that since 1965, nearly 45% of adults that smoked have quit. You could be one of the many that have been successful in this venture and see the incredible health benefits of doing so.