Keeping good oral hygiene is essential for preventing stained teeth, tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath. However, brushing, flossing and visiting your dentist regularly can do much more than just keep your smile looking great and your breath smelling fresh. New research suggests that your oral health can also indicate a lot about your overall health and whether you may be at risk for chronic disease.
Generally speaking, if your oral hygiene and health is good, then it stands a chance that your overall health is also good. In contrast, if you don’t look after your teeth and have poor oral health, there is more chance of you having other health problems. Whilst there is much more to staying healthy than keeping good oral hygiene, science has found many links between oral and overall body health:
- Research suggests that there is a link between poor oral hygiene and an increased risk of suffering strokes and developing heart disease.
- Women suffering from gum disease are more likely to birth pre-term or low birth weight babies.
- Problems chewing as a result of poor oral hygiene can lead to a number of digestive disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive disorders.
- Your mouth is a window into the rest of the body and conditions such as HIV/AIDS or diabetes are often first apparent as oral problems.
- Oral infections can pose serious risks to the major organs.
So what is good oral hygiene?
Good oral hygiene is the things that you do to keep your mouth, your teeth and your gums healthy. On a day to day basis, it’s essential to brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once a day and use a fluoride mouthwash to help kill germs. As well as looking after your oral hygiene on a daily basis, it’s also extremely important to visit your dentist on regularly.
By visiting your dentist every 6 months, they can spot any problems or oral health issues and treat them before they become a big problem. Your dentist can also provide advice in ways that you can improve your oral health between routine visits. Whilst visiting your dentist twice a year is recommended, you should always schedule an appointment as soon as you notice any oral pain or discomfort.
A dental hygienist can also help you to maintain good oral health and avoid gum disease, tooth decay and other problems by cleaning your teeth professionally and providing helpful advice on an effective daily tooth cleaning routine and healthy diet.
To book an appointment at Southview Dental Care, call today on 01732 865021.
