Did you know that maintaining good oral care can positively benefit other areas of your health? It’s true! Recent studies confirm that keeping your mouth clean can ultimately lead to a healthier lifestyle while poor oral hygiene is linked to disease and possibly much more. Besides having fresher breath and whiter teeth, let’s look at some of the other benefits to keeping your mouth clean.
- Heart Healthy Gums
A person with periodontal disease is at a greater risk of having heart disease than a person without the disease according to the Canadian Academy of Periodontology. In fact, they are twice as likely to have a fatal heart attack as someone without periodontal disease. Why? Because gum disease, which occurs from extensive bacteria exposure, can lead to cardiovascular disease due to the fact that inflammation is known to travel through the body. Inflammation is a risk factor for heart disease. So keep your gums clean to keep your heart healthy!
- Pregnancy Problems
During pregnancy, it is always advisable to keep up with all of your medical appointments and that includes dental appointments. Health Canada states that continuing studies show that poor oral health care can be a culprit of pre-term pregnancy and also developmental issues with the infant. Babies born to mothers with poor oral hygiene tend to be low birth-weight and could have a higher risk of health issues such as asthma, ear infections, birth defects, risk of infant death syndrome, developmental delays and behavioral problems. Therefore, a pregnant woman should brush and maintain proper oral care for the sake of her unborn baby.
- Keep Diabetes Down
Even though it is common knowledge that diabetes causes gum disease, it can be shocking to find out that gum disease can actually raise your risk of becoming a diabetic. Gum disease affects a person’s blood glucose controls. “Because periodontal disease is an infection, bacteria produce toxins that affect the carbohydrate metabolism in individual cells. It is also thought that the host response to periodontal bacteria can increase insulin resistance and, therefore, blood glucose levels,” states The Canadian Diabetes Association. So, remember to brush diabetes away with a healthier mouth.
- Oral Cancer Could Be Lurking In Your Mouth
When going to the dentist, you hope you don’t hear that one little word…cavity. However, dentists aren’t just trained to clean, check and fix cavities. Every dentist is capable of performing and detecting oral cancer during their exam. Oral cancer initially appears as a dark red or white patch within your mouth and there are no other notable symptoms until it might be too late. Early detection of oral cancer is always the best option when you consider the fact that only one-half of the people diagnosed with oral cancer survive past 5 years. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain regular dental appointments, uphold great oral care and keep cancer from lurking in your mouth.
- Toothbrush Dieting Trick
People from all over the world try various tricks and tips to help them lose weight. Here is one trick that might be of assistance. Did you know that brushing your teeth could actually help you lose weight? Brushing your teeth just after a meal or before over indulging with sweet desserts will send a signal to your mind stating that the meal is over. Not only that, have you ever tried to eat something just after brushing your teeth with minty toothpaste? Nasty! There’s not much that tastes good just after brushing and this includes sweets. Studies suggest that you should brush your teeth early in the evening and not before bed. The idea is to prevent you from wanting an evening snack. So, brush away the weight with a minty smile!
“There is increasing evidence showing a link between oral health and general health,” states Susan Filippi a dentist at Richmond Hill. “Your mouth is part of your body, so it just makes sense to take care of your oral health.” Keeping your mouth clean, attending regular dental appointments and knowing the risks of gum disease can save your life.