Having healthy teeth can boost your confidence as you flash your pearly whites for the world to see. But, possessing good oral hygiene can also help promote several health benefits.
Know some of these advantages as you continue reading through the rest of this article.
Helps Reduce The Risk Of Heart Disease
Poor oral hygiene can lead to unhealthy teeth, and this incident can open doors to gum or periodontal disease. Some of the signs of this oral ailment are:
- Swollen, red gums
- Pain while chewing
- Sensitive teeth
- Lingering bad breath
Moreover, the inflammation caused by a gum disease may lead to heart disease. A link exists between the two conditions as the harmful bacteria lingering in the oral cavity may travel to cardiovascular components, including the heart.
Maintain proper oral hygiene to ensure your gums and teeth stay healthy and strong. An orthodontist may help you maintain the integrity and overall well-being of your oral cavity, reducing the risks of gum and heart disease.
While you’re at it, you may also want to straighten your teeth by getting braces. As per Super Smiles Orthodontics, orthodontic treatment with braces helps align crooked teeth.
But, getting braces requires healthy teeth and gums. So, take this opportunity to let your periodontist care for your oral cavity first. Then, the dental expert can equip your teeth with braces when the time is right.
Helps Boost The Immune System
Maintaining a set of healthy teeth may help boost your body’s immune functions. Note that the mouth is the gateway for many harmful pathogens. If you have poor dental and oral hygiene, you keep that particular “gate” open for several diseases.
The inability to follow a strict dental routine can lead to ailments, like gingivitis and periodontal disease. These illnesses are inflammatory concerns because of an overabundance of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Once the teeth begin to decay and the gums become inflamed, the immune system begins attempting to combat the intruders causing the inflammation and rot. Think of this scenario as sending all military troops to one location while leaving an area exposed.
In other words, if your immune functions are trying to combat the harmful bacteria in the mouth, you leave other areas in your body exposed to other threats.
Instead, let your mouth be your body’s first line of defense against these harmful substances. Follow a strict dental regimen at home, such as brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day.
Also, don’t forget about rinsing with mouthwash to help eliminate leftover bacteria in the mouth.
Helps Reduce The Risk Of Diabetes
Following good dental hygiene may also help reduce the risks of developing diabetes. Like gingivitis and gum disease, inflammation may play a significant role in the development of diabetes.
Maintain and follow a strict dental regimen, such as brushing teeth at least twice a day, to lower the risks of oral cavity inflammation. In turn, this practice may help reduce the presence of lingering bacteria, lowering the risks of diabetes.
As per a study published in the European Association for the Study of Diabetes journal, researchers found that brushing at least three times per day has a connection to a lowered risk of developing diabetes.
Moreover, the presence of specific dental diseases might increase the risk of developing diabetes.
Helps Reduce The Risk Of Osteoporosis
If you think about good dental hygiene practices, perhaps, you might think of teeth brushing first. But, maintaining healthy teeth is more than brushing and flossing your pearly whites.
Note that teeth consist of different, yet inorganic minerals, like calcium. Thus, you must feed your body the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of these minerals to maintain healthy teeth.
You can achieve that goal by consuming healthy sources of essential minerals for teeth health, such as:
- Milk, cheese, and other dairy products
- Green, leafy vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, and okra
- Soya products, including beans and drinks
- Nuts
- Tofu
Consuming essential minerals, especially calcium, can protect your teeth. Moreover, reaching the RDA of various nutrients may help prevent the development of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the bones to become fragile and weak. Some serious cases may make bones fracture or break from a seemingly mild fall.
Hence, the consumption of minerals, like calcium, may help prevent the onset and development of osteoporosis and other bone diseases.
Helps Reduce The Risk Of Cancer
The body’s prolonged exposure to harmful bacteria may lead to serious illnesses, especially cancer. Bacteria that damage the teeth and other components of the oral cavity may play a role in the onset of specific cancers, particularly pancreatic cancer.
Gum disease-causing bacteria might be one of the main culprits of people exhibiting high risks of contracting cancer. It’s because specific enzymes may create cancer cells, which can invade healthy tissue.
Moreover, these enzymes may diminish the body’s immune functions’ effectiveness, allowing bodies to become the perfect breeding ground for cancer cells.
Helps Reduce The Risk Of Unhealthy Pregnancy
Expecting mothers should follow a strict dental and oral regimen to increase the chances of the birth of their healthy children. Poor dental health may lead to hormonal changes, which can adversely affect pregnancy.
Babies born when their mothers have dental or oral problems may have a high risk of contracting disorders from birth. These health problems may include learning disorders, as well as heart and lung conditions. Premature birth may also happen with a pregnant mother with an unhealthy mouth and teeth.
Women should consider getting periodontal exams as part of their comprehensive pregnancy checkups to ensure their mouth and teeth remain as healthy as possible.
So, giving birth to babies while having healthy teeth increases the chances that these little ones will embrace the world with little to no congenital disabilities.
Conclusion
Remember, practicing good dental hygiene may reduce the risks of several ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Don’t forget to brush and floss your teeth at least twice per day. Also, visit your dentist or orthodontist at least once a year for a comprehensive oral checkup.
