How Taking Care of Your Teeth Can Make You Healthier

A lot of talk about the importance of dental health focuses on cosmetics. You’re often told that you should brush your teeth because if you don’t, they’ll turn yellow. While that’s certainly true, the necessity of good oral hygiene runs deeper than that. As a matter of fact, taking diligent care of your teeth can strengthen your immune system. Here’s a brief rundown of why that is.

The Connection Between Gum Disease and Health

Over 50% of U.S. adults have some form of gum disease, and many of them don’t even know it. If you’ve seen a little bit of red when you’ve flossed, that’s probably due to an infection that’s led to inflammation. That can be a big problem because gum disease has been correlated with higher rates of respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems, and complications from diabetes.

Experts believe this is due to the excess pressure even mild infections put on the immune system. Even if you don’t notice any problems, your body does. It has to devote resources to deal with the oral invaders, which is energy that can’t be used to fight disease elsewhere in the body. There’s also some risk of infection spreading. While rare, it is possible for bacteria to filter into the bloodstream and infect other organs.

A Dental Screening is a Health Screening

The importance of preventive dentistry to your oral health can’t be overstated. It tends to be much easier and cheaper to prevent a problem than to fix it. Moreover, regular dental cleanings can stave off gum disease which, as has been pointed out, can overload your immune system. However, dental checkups serve another health function; there are over 120 diseases that a dentist can detect from your mouth alone. One of the most serious is oral cancer. Finding cancer early in its development can make a massive difference in your prognosis, and your dentist will probably screen you for it at every appointment. That’s just one more reason to schedule biannual checkups.

Ways to Protect Your Immune System and Your Mouth

While taking care of your mouth can protect your overall health, the opposite is also true; a stronger immune system will be better able to deal with an oral infection. With that in mind, here are a few ways to strengthen your body’s defenses:

• Decrease stress
• Stay active
• Wash your hands
• Eat a nutrient-rich diet, full of vitamins C and D
• Get enough sleep

And here are a few ways to keep your mouth healthy:

• Brush twice a day
• Floss daily
• Use mouthwash after meals
• Have your teeth professionally cleaned periodically

Protecting your oral health is easy and will do a lot more for you than just brightening your smile. If you want to look good and feel good, keeping your mouth in tip-top shape will get you a lot of the way there.

About Our Practice

At West Hartford Dental Group, we can help your entire family protect their smile. That means letting you be an active participant in the dental process every step of the way. We offer both general and specialty services to our patients, meaning that no matter the complexity of your issue, our team of dentists will be able to assist you. If you’re interested in learning more about how to protect your oral health, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (860) 236-4249.