Understanding the Importance of Dental Health for Overall Wellness
The mouth is one of our busiest body parts, but we rarely pay it any mind. We love to chow down food, swallow, talk, laugh, and smile with our mouths regularly, but our oral hygiene isn’t keeping up. We often brush off (no pun intended) dental hygiene and health as something optional until we get toothaches or only when our breath stinks. The mouth is the gateway of sustenance and nutrition and one other thing: overall health. Fascinating, isn’t it? Our dental health influences our overall well-being, but we seldom realize it until our dentists tell us so. As you read until the end, you’ll appreciate the importance of maintaining optimal dental health for overall wellness.
The Obscure Link Between Oral and General Health
The mouth-body health connection isn’t new knowledge; our ancient ancestors already had inkling about it but never got the chance to dig further. Fast-forward to the modern era, and many studies have established this link for people to know. Alarmingly, poor dental hygiene exacerbates or contributes to diabetes, heart disease, and lung conditions. Ignoring periodontal or gum disease for a long time can lead to the disruption of insulin processing, which leads to diabetes. Bacteria from swollen gums can enter the bloodstream, causing inflammation in the blood vessels and raising blood pressure. The mouth is also connected to the airways, and an infected tooth or gum can increase the bacteria volume in the lungs, which may exacerbate pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
On the flip side, what good does proper oral hygiene do? It’s a given that the chronic conditions talked about here are either prevented or mitigated, but there are more benefits. For pregnant women, good dental health leads to safe pregnancy and delivery by preventing low birth weight and pre-term birth. Men get the benefit of increased fertility as good oral health improves sperm health and quality. Good dental hygiene also improves weight loss success by curbing the desire to snack after meals. Brushing the teeth sends signals to the brain that you’re finished eating, reinforcing satiation. With healthy teeth, foods are chewed better and broken into smaller pieces, increasing metabolism and lowering fat accumulation.
Preventative Care: The First Step Toward Good Health
No matter how far we’ve come in medicine and healthcare, prevention still thumps cure. Dental care is no exception, as maintaining a healthy set of chompers is better than visiting the dentist to get a bad tooth removed. At home, brush twice daily for at least two minutes per session and floss at least once daily. Practicing this tandem habit effectively cleans teeth of food particles and prevents plaque buildup – the cause of gum disease. Of course, dental preventative care doesn’t end there. Scheduled dental cleanings give your teeth a deeper clean, so make it a biannual habit and set appointment reminders for teeth cleaning. While you’re visiting your dentist for dental cleaning, have a dental check-up as well, even if you don’t perceive any problems. Dental professionals can look at your teeth more thoroughly, identify potential issues, and take steps to prevent bigger dental problems.
Advanced Treatments and Restorative Dentistry
What if your teeth are already damaged before you know the importance of good dental health? The good news is that there are revolutionary treatment and restoration approaches for your damaged teeth. Those who have lost their teeth but don’t want to wear dentures can still have a reason to smile. Enter dental implants, which offer a long-term solution to regain teeth functionality and help get you beaming with confidence. Is there a solution for decayed or broken teeth without pulling them out? Yes, a dental crown can be fitted after the damaged parts of teeth have been removed and reshaped. If it’s minor dental imperfections you want to hide, veneers can fit like teeth gloves to improve the appearance of your teeth. Schedule a consultation with a dental expert to explore the treatment that best addresses your dental health needs.
Diet’s Role in Dental Health
Come to think of it, why do our ancient ancestors’ pearly whites have little to no signs of tooth decay? Our hunter-gatherer ancestors’ diets consisted of meat, nuts, seeds, tubers, and berries, which rarely accumulate sugar and acids. What about us? What is causing the prevalence of tooth decay worldwide? The answer lies in our modern-day diets – they include starchy and sugary foods, which ferment and promote bacteria growth and acid production. While it’s nearly impossible to change our diet to be like our ancestors, we can add teeth-strengthening food to our meals. Increasing our calcium and phosphorus intake through dairy products and leafy greens can help promote robust teeth and bone health. Fluoridated water can also strengthen teeth while washing away food particles and reducing acid levels.
There’s the Stress-Dental Health Connection, Too
While many of us know the effects of stress on the body, few know about its effect on dental health. Stress can lead to behaviors like bruxism (teeth grinding) and jaw clenching, which wear down and misalign teeth. It may also lead to a lack of motivation in doing oral hygiene practices. Addressing stress can help teeth grinders and jaw clenchers outgrow the unhealthy habit. Relaxation techniques and exercises can help calm the mind and reduce stress, while wearing specialized mouthguards or mouth splints helps prevent damage to the teeth and jaws. Now that we know the interconnection of mental, physical, and even dental health, it’s vital to reflect on our lifestyle. It has to have balance to promote holistic wellness, which includes dental health.
Building or Rediscovering Healthy Habits
Some people may have started with good oral health habits, but as activities got hectic, oral hygiene became discretionary. For those who underwent dental treatment, practicing good dental habits becomes necessary to maintain oral health and prevent recurring infections. Childhood is the best time to lay the foundations of good health, so parents must lead their children by example. Encouraging brushing together and eating healthy food will ingrain good dental habits in young children that they’ll bring into adulthood.
Now that a clear connection between oral health and overall wellness has been revealed, it’s time to take action. Like a jigsaw puzzle, fill in the blank pieces of dental health unless you want to deal with lifelong oral and physical health issues. There’s no such thing as starting too early or too late with good dental habits. By starting now, you can still lower the risk of developing dental and health issues later in life.