The Importance of Having Great Dental Health

It’s hard to imagine that an act as simple as brushing and flossing your teeth can have such a large impact on your overall health. Yet, research shows that your health is mirrored by your dental health. This is a big reason to maintain overall good dental health, including thoroughly brushing your teeth twice daily.

So what exactly will you be preventing by simply spending two minutes brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft bristle brush? More than you might expect.

Gum Disease Leads to Health Complications

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, how healthy your gums are directly impacts major health complications, such as strokes and heart disease. In addition, women who suffer from gum disease have a higher incidence or pre-term and low birth weight babies.

An astounding 90% of systemic diseases have oral symptoms. These include swollen gums, mouth ulcers, dry mouth, and excessive problems.

The following systemic diseases that have oral manifestations include:

• Diabetes
• Leukemia
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease

Poor Care of Gums Equals Health Problems

Not only do healthy gums play an important role in preventing systemic disease, they also prevent other types of health problems. If left untreated, improperly cared for gums can directly lead to other health problems such as:

• Oral and facial pain: This pain comes directly from the gums due to infections and can lead to tooth loss.

• Gum disease: An estimated 75% of the US population suffers from some level of gingivitis, an early level of gum disease, or some other more severe form of gum disease.

• Problems with the heart and major organs: Infections in the mouth have a direct impact on your major organs.

• Oral cancer: This form of cancer takes more lives each year than cervical or skin cancer.

• Digestion problems: Since digestion begins in the mouth, it should not be surprising that digestion problems can start in the mouth, as well. These can lead to other issues like irritable bowel syndrome and other digestion related disorders.

Preventing Dental Problems to Promote Good Health

Few health problems have an easy fix. Dental health, for most patients, however does have a relatively easy solution when you invest a little time and effort in your teeth and gums.

There are three main factors that can mean the difference between poor dental and overall health and great dental and overall health.

• Regular teeth brushing. Do this twice a day with a soft bristle toothbrush and the results will be dramatic. By brushing in a circular motion on your teeth each time you brush, you will remove much of the bacteria that create health problems.

• Floss daily. The activity of flossing seems to intimidate or overwhelm some. There is no reason to avoid this important part of your dental health. By simply running the dental floss back and forth between each tooth, you will remove a great deal of debris and bacterial from the sides of each tooth. This one act goes a long way to prevent serious gum disease later.

• Visit the dentist regularly. It’s important to visit the dentist approximately every six months. Even if you are practicing excellent oral hygiene habits, a dentist will recognize problems long before they reach any sort of devastating potential. The dentist can also offer regular tips on the various methods you can use to keep your mouth in the best possible health.

With a few simple steps by investing some time to care for your teeth and gums through healthy dental practices, you can potentially prevent major health problems down the road. Don’t underestimate the impact that great oral care will have on your overall health and well-being.