7 Reasons Why Your Dental Hygiene Is Important for Your Health
The health of the mouth is a reflection of your overall health. Therefore, consider seeing experienced dentists as soon as possible. They will tell you a lot about your health based on your gums and teeth condition. Remember: dental hygiene is essential for oral health! That is more than having an appealing bright smile. In addition, people with poor dental health are prone to severe health issues.
Besides, oral hygiene keeps your teeth safe from decay and your mouth from various infections. That includes regular flossing, brushing your teeth and gums, and brushing your tongue twice daily. In addition, dental doctors recommend oral exams at least twice a year to ensure proper dental hygiene.
Here are several reasons why dental health is crucial for the overall health of your body.
1. Overall health
As we said, the mouth is the “open channel” to the other internal parts of the human body. It can also detect early symptoms of numerous systematic diseases. For example, mouth lesions, gum infections, and inflammations are often the signs of diabetes and cardiovascular complications.
On the other hand, regular dental examinations (every six months) can also evaluate your teeth condition and help detect any other mouth conditions that could lead to severe diseases.
2. Early disease detection
Many scientific studies show that patients with oral diseases are at more severe risk of heart disease. According to those studies, periodontal disease increases the inflammation processes. Therefore, it can affect many body parts. Besides diabetes and cardiovascular problems, a bad dental condition caused by poor hygiene can lead to artery inflammation, bacterial pneumonia, osteoporosis, various infections, mental health issues, dementia (believe it or not!), sepsis, or even cancers.
3. Healthy and beautiful smile
A bad breath and yellow or greyish smiles that are caused by poor dental hygiene can lead to low self-esteem. On the other hand, a bright, breathtaking smile can help you feel more confident. With that in mind, if you live in New South Wales, you can turn to an expert orthodontist from Sydney, who offers various braces and other treatments to make you more satisfied with your physical appearance.
4. Teeth loss issues
For children and adults, teeth loss is a major and the most common dental problem. Inadequate dental hygiene is one of the numerous reasons for that. Plaque build-up might result in severe tooth issues or gum infections that lead to teeth loss. Therefore, regular and adequate cleansing and flossing can reduce plaque build-up. But that is not enough to ensure your oral and overall health. You have to visit your dentist at least two times a year because they can make sure that hard-to-reach teeth and gum lines are tartar and plaque-free.
5. The importance of a clean tongue
When we speak about dental hygiene, many people forget one vital thing – their tongue has to be cleaned too.
This organ is covered with bacteria and fungi; therefore, rinsing it with water is insufficient. If you want to get rid of bad breath, also known as halitosis, you must regularly brush your tongue and your teeth and gums. That is also essential for your dental and overall health because this standard procedure can remove bacteria and improve your tongue’s appearance.
In addition, there are plenty of special brushes for that purpose on the market. Opt for one of them.
6. Using fluoride toothpaste
Although some dentists may not confirm this, according to many studies, brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste is especially effective for preventing tooth decay. It helps reduce the process of demineralization. In addition, by using fluoride toothpaste, you can fight germs and provide a protective barrier for the teeth.
7. Teeth and pregnancy
Pregnant women are at significant risk of dental health problems that can affect their pregnancy. Therefore, they have to take care of their dental health more thoroughly than others. For instance, some researches show a link between gum disease and premature birth.
During pregnancy, changes in a woman’s body can impact their teeth and gums because of the fluctuation of certain hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Eating habits can also change; therefore, some food can affect their oral health.
If you have any symptoms or signs of dental problems, such as mouth sores or lumps on the gums, bad breath, new spaces between your teeth, receding gums, red, swollen gums, bleeding, or loose teeth, immediately see your dentist.
As we said, there are many reasons why your dental hygiene is crucial for your health. We have mentioned some of them, but there is a list of other severe chronic diseases caused by inadequate oral hygiene like multiple sclerosis, arthritis, stroke, heart attack, etc. Therefore, it is essential to cleanse and floss your teeth, gums, and tongue regularly and thoroughly, at least twice a day, and go to your dentist or orthodontist at least twice a year.
