In his heyday, punk icon John Lydon was renowned for his outspoken outbursts and outrageous behavior both on and off the stage. The front man of infamous British group The Sex Pistols and a long standing embodiment of life on the edge, he has lived a rock and roll lifestyle that has gradually begun to take a physical toll.
Earning the nickname Johnny Rotten due to the dilapidated state of his teeth, he is set to undergo a surgical procedure that will vastly improve his oral health. He took the decision in the wake of suffering a double abscess earlier this year that left him with stitches in his mouth and a temporary speech impediment, after which his dentist warned him that further gum complaints could prove fatal.
A Lesson in Maintaining Good Oral Health: Why America Should Heed the Warnings
While the replacement of his existing molars with dental implants will have obvious benefits for Mr. Lydon himself, his circumstances should serve as a lesson to parents and young adults across the U.S.. Although few of us will have lived the lifestyle or experienced the same level of excess as a front man in a successful punk rock band, even the everyday consumption of food and drink can have a damaging impact on teeth if they are not well preserved. The long term effects of this can include gum disease and decay, which can be costly to treat and lead to more general health issues.
While the current economic climate may be forcing some to ignore the need for regular dental check ups, the experience of John Lydon proves this to be a false economy. The minimal cost of routine oral screenings may seem like an unnecessary expense in an age of high unemployment and low disposable income, but the expense of implant dentistry is far higher. It is far better to take a proactive approach to maintaining good dental health, by investing in regular check ups over a prolonged period of time.
Why Prevention is Always Better Than Cure
The major benefit of routine oral check ups is that they aid the early diagnosis of conditions such as gum disease and tooth decay. This protects your teeth from suffering long term damage, and also has the potential to save you thousands of dollars in reactive treatments and restoration surgery. There is an old adage which suggests that prevention is always better than cure, and this is never more relevant than in the case of maintaining effective dental health.
