6 Amazing Benefits of Good Oral Hygiene
Brush twice a day, floss once, and see your dentist every six months. This drill has most likely been repeated to us since we were old enough to comprehend what our parents or guardians said. However, there may have been days when we were too tired or sleepy to stick to this simple yet highly beneficial dental health regimen. Skipping these dental hygiene practices may not have seemed like a big deal at the time, but in the long run, it’s harmful not just to your oral health but also to your overall health.
A Healthy Mouth is the perfect route to a Healthy Body
According to a study by the Global Burden of Disease, oral diseases impact 3.5 billion people globally. Each of these diseases is common, and you can save yourself from many hassles in the future by following basic dental hygiene practices.
So, now that we’ve reemphasized the importance of good oral health, let’s have a look at the six great benefits it brings to your overall health.
- Prevents Gum Diseases
Are you aware that our mouths contain 700 different types of bacteria? According to a study by Hinsdale Dental, some of them are beneficial (helping us to avoid dental caries), while others are harmful (assisting dental caries in development).
Aside from dental caries, an imbalance between the two kinds of bacteria can lead to more severe oral problems, the most serious of which are gum (gingivitis/periodontal) diseases.
Gingivitis is an infection and inflammation of the gums and the teeth’s supporting bones. It swells your gums and produces a lot of bleeding. Gingivitis evolves into periodontal disease if not treated, and the gums begin to peel away from the teeth, leading to tooth loss.
So, how can you prevent gingivitis in the first place? Well, brushing twice a day and flossing regularly serve to maintain a balance of bacteria and eliminate any harmful buildup in teeth and gums.
- Keeps You Safe From Oral Cancer
Good dental hygiene protects against oral cancer as well as gum gingivitis. We are primarily concerned about dental cavities and tooth decay, believing that oral cancer is a slight risk. However, this lack of care frequently leads to various oral cancers being diagnosed later in the progression stage.
Making some worthy lifestyle changes can help avoid oral cancer and maintain your dental and general health in good shape. These lifestyle modifications include quitting smoking, limiting alcohol use, and arranging frequent dental appointments to detect any potential cancerous developments.
If you are prone to sunburns, use SPF lip balm regularly and consistently since we all know how much UV radiation from the sun is hazardous to our skin, and our lips are no exception.
- Helps you Get Rid of Bad Breath
Have someone ever mentioned that you have foul breath, or have you ever been handed chewing gum during a conversation? If the answer is yes, you may suffer from halitosis (a condition of bad breath.)
There are various causes of bad breath, the most common of which is poor dental hygiene. You’d be amazed at how simple regular oral hygiene habits can spare you from the humiliation of bad breath.
Brushing regularly can help eliminate debris and residual food particles that have been stuck in the teeth. Flossing also ensures that no harmful particles remain in your mouth while you sleep at night.
- Promotes Safe Pregnancy
Do you know that the odds of your dental health harming your kid are pretty high when you’re pregnant? Doesn’t it seem terrifying? Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Several changes in your hormones, body, and food habits during pregnancy can create issues for you and your child, with low birth weight and premature birth being the most prevalent.
Pregnancy tumors are not malignant, although they produce little lumps on the gums. They’re red, rough, and swollen, and they bleed easily. To avoid them, make regular visits to your dentist since they can prevent these lumps from forming in the first place.
Nausea is also frequent during pregnancy, preventing women from brushing and flossing their teeth daily. In these cases, using antacids is the most incredible option for keeping your dental health in fantastic condition.
- Offers a Healthy, Shiny Smile
You automatically have a healthy-looking smile when you have healthy-looking teeth and gums. It lifts your confidence by allowing you to laugh with your mouth open, revealing all of your beautiful white teeth.
Aside from following oral hygiene practices, there are a few dental treatments, such as scaling and teeth whitening, that can make your teeth white and dazzling. For this purpose, look for only professional teeth whitening services in Eden Prairie so that you get a healthy smile and are sure that your teeth are in safe hands.
- Boosts Mental Health
Our mental health is significantly interrelated to our oral health and vice versa.
People with foul breath, dental caries, tooth loss, and gum illnesses develop low self-esteem because they lack the confidence to smile with their mouths open. They become more aware and even avoid social gatherings, resulting in social anxiety disorder. This also inhibits individuals from seeing the dentist since they are terrified of the dentist’s judgment of their dental health.
Brushing twice a day, frequently flossing at night, using a mouthguard while playing sports, and avoiding tobacco use are the best and simplest ways to prevent such conditions.
Parting Thoughts
Remember that most dental hygiene practices are common and inexpensive as compared to restorative dental treatments, which are costly, time-consuming, and require a significant recovery period. So, now that you have a list of the benefits of proper dental hygiene, it’s time to start prioritizing your oral health so you can have a good-looking smile that will boost your confidence too.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
