When you are thinking of visiting a dentist you must have been thinking about keeping your teeth white, clean, and free of cavities. Many people are not aware that maintaining good oral health has value more than a beautiful and shining smile. Maintaining good oral health and visiting your dentist regularly protects your oral as well as overall health.
Ignoring today’s oral health issues may lead to a sensory problem tomorrow. Teeth are connected with various other organs through our nervous system, oral problems can affect the organs as well. Oral health can cause tooth decay and tooth loss. Many people face problems in speaking after tooth loss. Oral health is a reflection of one’s own body. Have you ever wondered while visiting a doctor for any kind of disease, why a doctor asks you to stretch your tongue? The reason is, our oral health is directly linked to various organs of our body like kidneys, intestine, heart, brain, lungs, spine, etc.
Oral health is not only limited to tooth decay or tooth loss. Oral health also includes facial pain, gum disease, throat cancer, oral sores, and several other diseases. Our mouth is full of bacteria, they attack our teeth and gum and weaken its structure. All these activities make our mouth prone to infections. If you want to stay away from all these problems then there is only one solution for it, maintain proper hygiene of your mouth.
Many negative health problems are linked with oral health. Heart disease, diabetes, mouth cancer, bad breath, tooth loss, gum disease, stroke, and lung disease. Periodontitis is a severe gum disease caused by chronic gum inflammation. Periodontitis is a condition which everyone should avoid as it is quite painful and may lead to tooth loss. More than 15% of the adults are suffering from periodontitis and periodontitis has a direct connection with diabetes.
A person with diabetes is at a higher risk for gum disease than a normal person. A person with diabetes may also face a complete tooth loss which is worse than a tooth loss. Oral health is also connected to heart disease and stroke. More than 90% of people having heart disease are suffering from periodontitis. Studies have shown that Gingivitis (it is an oral inflammation) caused by bacterias present in the mouth, plays a major role in clogged arteries and blood clots. Many people have no idea that a healthy heart starts with a healthy mouth.
Oral health is also connected with pregnancy. Studies have shown a link between the periodontal disease of pregnant females to the risk of premature birth and birth of a low weight baby. Both premature birth and low weighted babies are susceptible to many health problems that may cause premature death.
The oral health of smokers is of great concern compared to the oral health of non-smokers. Smokers are four times likely to develop oral health issues. Tooth discoloration, gum disease, bad breath, inflamed salivary glands, oral cancer, leukoplakia which are the white patches inside the mouth, bone loss in the jaw, and increased plaque and tartar are the most common issues faced by most smokers.
Oral health is also connected to one of the dangerous diseases is Alzheimer’s. Tooth loss before the age of 35 can be an early symptom of Alzheimer’s. 30% of people lose all permanent teeth before the age of 60 because of bad oral care.
Oral care is very important if you don’t want to deal with these kinds of diseases. By now, you have got enough reasons to take good care of your oral health. Maintaining good oral hygiene daily is like investing in not only your mouth but your complete body health. 90% of oral health can be cured without taking any medication. Here are some easy tips and tricks to maintain good oral hygiene.
- Brushing teeth twice or if possible then thrice a day.
- Brush teeth at least for two minutes.
- Moving brush in a circular motion while brushing.
- Floss between teeth daily, especially before going to bed.
- Visiting a dentist regularly, at least once in three months.
- Don’t use toothpaste with the ingredient Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, especially for kids. It is like a slow poison. It harms your teeth as well as other organs like lungs, liver, and kidney slowly.
- Switch to herbal toothpaste which is free from SLS and fluoride.
- Don’t brush your teeth immediately after having a meal. A gap of 30 minutes is good between a meal and a brush.
- Use a soft-bristled brush, hard bristle brush can be harsh on your delicate gum.
