The Importance of Oral Health: How to Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy

Do you find it burdensome to proactively take care of your oral health? If you do, then it could mean that you are downplaying the importance of oral health in sustaining good body health. Your general health will not be okay unless all parts of your body are in good health.

Why Is Taking Care of Your Oral Health So Important?

While it may not be obvious to everyone, oral health should be a priority body part. The mouth is a primary entry point for many things channeled to other body parts. Therefore, whatever you eat and drink will influence your entire health. There is a strong connection between dental health and overall body health. Whatever happens in your oral cavity eventually affects your body’s health. Some of the reason why dental care is important is:

1. To fight bacterial infections – over time, saliva and food residues in the mouth mix to form plaque, which releases harmful bacteria in the mouth. Without proper dental care, the bacteria will lead to many infections like dental decay, tooth cavities, and gum disease.
2. Optimize the mouth’s functionality – the mouth undertakes various tasks including breaking down food into digestible particles. A healthy mouth becomes an optimally functioning body part.
3. Heighten your self-confidence – proper oral health gives you the extra boost to your self-confidence.
4. To manage general body health – dentists will tell you that a human mouth holds vital clues to other health issues in your body. A dentist can examine your oral cavity and identify several health problems that may not be directly linked to your dental health.

How to Maintain the Health of Your Teeth and Gums

Caring for your teeth and gums should be an intentional endeavor if you want to excel in oral health. Some of the things that can help you maintain healthy teeth and gums are:

1. Brush your teeth at least twice every day – keeping teeth clean takes consistent effort. By brushing them, you disallow food residues from settling on your teeth surfaces too long to form plaque.
2. Floss your teeth daily – flossing will remove food residues and plaque between your teeth, which are hard to reach with regular teeth brushing.
3. Replace your toothbrush every three months – better yet, upgrade to a better quality toothbrush that will be thorough for cleaning your teeth.
4. Eat raw fruits and vegetables – other than their nutritional benefits, fruits and vegetables help maintain strong teeth. Biting on crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery will also help rid your teeth of any food residues.
5. Visit your dentist frequently – make a habit of visiting your dentist in SW Calgary once every few weeks. Regular dental visits allow a dentist near you to examine and evaluate your oral health and propose necessary adjustments and treatments. It is also a great chance to detect any underlying oral problems that may otherwise go unnoticed. Even if you do not have a pre-existing dental problem, you need a dental visit at Calgary general dentistry for preventive dental care.

How Does Poor Oral Health Affect Your Overall Health?

Our assertion on proper oral health to patients at Dental at the Met is solely for their benefit. What you may not understand is that oral health can, directly and indirectly, affect your general body health. Some of the ways are:

1. Pain – dental pain may only be in your mouth, but the pain will not be isolated there. Instead, many patients with dental pain experience pain in other areas of their body like headaches, ear pain, and general body fatigue and weakness.
2. Risk of other health problems – did you know that your oral conditions can be linked to other health problems in your body? For instance, there is a great connection between gum disease and diabetes. The oral bacteria connected to gum disease significantly impacts your overall health.
3. Digestive and respiratory illnesses – the mouth is the entry point to your respiratory and digestive system. A bacterial infection in your mouth can travel to other parts of your body and lead to many health complications.