If you think that good dental health only implies clean and healthy teeth, think again. The reality is, keeping your mouth healthy is a lot more important than just having a nice and confident smile. Regular dental check-ups with a reputable dentist can help you identify problems that you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. In fact, problems in the mouth can actually be symptoms of problems in other areas of the body.
Good Health and the Mouth: What is the Connection?
The mouth is home to many bacteria that are relatively safe and harmless. Since the mouth serves as the body’s entrance to its respiratory and digestive tracts, Dr. Esmaili with Peakview Dentistry explains that the mouth could bring forth bad bacteria to our systems.
Practicing good oral hygiene generally helps us keep the bad bacteria away. However, failing to brush our teeth regularly and skipping dental visits can encourage the overgrowth of bad bacteria in our mouths. This results in oral infections that could lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss. But that’s just the beginning.
Gum inflammations and oral bacteria are also linked to more serious diseases like diabetes and pneumonia. Additionally, some illnesses can likewise compromise the immune system and make the body more prone to viral and bacterial infections. Hence, it only worsens oral health issues all the more. At its worst, ignoring the state of your mouth can end up costing you a lot of money for something that could have been prevented from the start.
Aside from being a preventive measure, how else can dentistry help you maintain good health?
- Reduces Risks of Inflammations and Infections
Bad oral hygiene has been associated with the likelihood of developing inflammations and infections in other areas of the body. For example, research has shown that gum disease is strongly linked to rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that results in inflamed joints.
According to health experts, the manner in which connective tissues disintegrate in gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis is the same. To counter this, make sure that you visit your dentist for routine check-ups at least twice a year and eat a balanced diet.
- Reduces Risks of Heart Disease
Another complication that is widely associated with gum disease are heart-related problems like strokes and blockages of blood vessels. This is because poor oral health makes your systems and bloodstream more prone to bacterial infections. When bad bacteria reach your heart, they can lead to inflammation and other diseases like endocarditis, which is the infection of your heart’s inner lining. Proper oral hygiene should help you lessen your chances of dealing with any serious heart diseases.
- Stabilizes Blood Sugar Levels
People who are suffering from diabetes typically also have gum disease. Diabetes, like gum disease, can make you more vulnerable to various infections. As a result of these complications, it becomes more difficult for diabetics to stabilize their blood sugar levels.
If you are diabetic, protecting your mouth from gingivitis can help keep your blood sugar at a safe level. Consequently, it will also keep you safe from diseases that may worsen your current condition.
- Boosts Memory
It’s easier to think that your mouth and your memory have nothing to do with each other. However, according to a report from the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, periodontitis is actually linked to cognitive and memory impairment. In fact, people who had oral issues performed poorly on memory tests, simple math operations like subtraction, and other cognitive skills.
The next time you feel lazy about brushing your teeth, think about how mouth health can actually affect your normal daily functions. Hence, it is advisable to use an antibacterial mouthwash and toothpaste to ensure that your mouth isn’t housing any bad bacteria.
- Improves Mental State
All that bacteria from an unhygienic mouth does not only lead to bad teeth and inflamed gums. It could also result in bad breath. All of these can negatively affect your self-image, confidence, and ultimately, your mental state. It’s difficult to enjoy life when you can’t even feel good and proud about yourself.
A good set of teeth and a bacteria-free mouth will not only give you the confidence to smile more, but it will also improve the overall quality of your life. It allows you to focus on important things without getting distracted by painful teeth and gums.
Conclusion: Nice Smiles, Great Health
Having good dental hygiene will naturally allow you to flash your nicest smile. However, great smiles and fresh breath are not the only things that they’re good for. It also helps you avoid infections and serious diseases, which consequently improves your overall health.