Health Benefits of Good Oral Hygiene
Practicing good oral hygiene habits like brushing teeth twice a day, flossing your teeth at least once a day, and getting semiannual and annual cleanings benefit you more than just your aesthetic smile.
Our knowledgeable dentist at 33756 wants you to know that practicing good oral hygiene offers more advantages than cavity prevention. This article will discuss the benefit of good oral hygiene, the relation between your oral health and overall health, and how to maintain good oral hygiene.
Benefits of Good Oral Hygiene
Some of the benefits of good oral hygiene that are recommended by your dentist near you include:
- Healthier gums. Your mouth contains different bacteria species. The environment has good bacteria that help to digest foods and potentially harmful bacteria responsible for infection and illness. Brushing and flossing daily keeps a healthy balance between these species by reducing the harmful bacteria in your mouth and removing the food debris that feeds on them. If your neglect your oral hygiene, the harmful bacteria may multiply and thus cause the development of plaque. The plaque may build up and trigger inflammation in our gums, leading to gum disease.
- Reduces developing a heart attack. Unfortunately, the bacteria in your mouth does not stay and can spread throughout your entire body to your bloodstream. When this happens, it can travel to your heart, causing your delicate arteries to narrow and risk a heart attack. However, according to the American College of Cardiology, gum disease can increase the risk of a heart attack by approximately 50%.
- Healthier Lungs. Bacteria can also reach your lungs through inhalation. And this can lead to respiratory infections such as pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and this is the leading cause of death in the US
- Decreased cancer risk. Gum disease may also lead to certain cancers, such as pancreatic cancer. Bacteria from your mouth may boost the growth of cancer cells. Cancer risk may also increase significantly if you have gum disease and use tobacco.
How does Dental Health Affect Overall Health?
Researchers know there is a relationship between oral health and overall health. Gum is linked to diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis. Medical researchers at our dental office in Clearwater also discovered that people with gum disease are twice as likely to experience a heart attack as others and three times as likely to have a stroke.
Gum disease is one of the common chronic inflammatory conditions in the world, yet it is often one of the not easily realized conditions. That’s because the mouth acts as a portal of entry to infection. The ongoing inflammation in your mouth can allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream, leading to more inflammation in your heart.
Some studies have also pointed out the reciprocal relationship between diabetes and gum disease. When you treat and control your diabetes, the condition in your mouth immediately improves; when you treat your gum disease, the need for insulin is immediately reduced.
How Can I Improve My Oral Hygiene?
Good oral hygiene protects your gums and teeth and keeps your smile beautiful. Here are some of the tips advised by your dentist at Clearwater that can help keep your smile healthy and beautiful
- Brush your teeth twice a day. Use a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste to clean your teeth for two minutes in the morning and before you retire to bed. Don’t forget to floss your teeth daily. There are parts of your teeth that you cannot reach with brushing alone. To clean these places, use dental floss.
- Use an antibacterial mouthwash every day to help keep harmful bacteria t bay. Not only does it wash away food and debris, but it also reduces plaque buildup.
- Brush your tongue. Bactria is well known to accumulate in your tongue. So whenever you brush your teeth, do not forget to brush your tongue. You can use your toothbrush, or you can buy a tongue scraper.
- Visit your dentist at Soni Smiles General and Implant Dentistry regularly. Routine dental cleaning and exams by Dr. Ravi Soni are essential for good oral health. Therefore, it is recommended that you visit your dentist at least twice a year.
- Avoid Smoking and other tobacco products as it causes gum disease and oral cancer.