The US is well-known for its predisposition to good oral care and bright white, perfect smiles. It’s synonymous with the country, much like the stars and stripes of the flag. But did you know that 9 out of 10 adults aged 20 to 64 have experienced tooth decay or that nearly half of the population has periodontal disease? Those are quite shocking statistics that kind of indicate good oral care isn’t a priority for all Americans, and just as many people who pay close attention to their oral health and the appearance of their mouth, don’t actually bother at all.
However, it starts to make sense when you consider that around 57 million people live in areas with a shortage of dental health professionals.
Sadly, poor oral care can lead to a whole host of other health problems that can be detrimental to your health. Conditions like gingivitis and halitosis are caused by inadequate oral care, while diabetes, heart conditions, and respiratory infections can be made much worse if people don’t keep on top of their dental care routine.
Top tips for improving your oral health care routine include
- Using an electric toothbrush
- Rinsing your mouth with water after eating or drinking a sugary drink
- Flossing twice per day
- using mouthwash
- Improving your diet
- brushing your tongue
- Visiting the dentist regularly
- stopping smoking
Let’s take a deeper dive into why good oral care is so important to get a better idea of why this aspect of your health shouldn’t be ignored.
Keeping Your Teeth
Starting off with a pretty obvious one, but good oral care means you get to keep your teeth for longer. In some cases, mostly due to accidents or genetics, premature tooth loss might be a reality, but in the absence of these factors, good dental routines can help you preserve the health and stability of your teeth.
Tooth decay can lead to tooth loss, and this is linked to those with a high-sugar diet or insufficient dental care habits that cause them to neglect their teeth much more than they should or even entirely. But missing and rotting teeth aren’t a good look for anyone.
Did you know that the number of teeth you have is strongly linked to how long you will live? People with 20 or more teeth, when they reach 70, have a better chance of living longer than those with fewer than 20 teeth. The good news is that tooth loss is preventable in many cases. By improving your oral care routine, you can ensure a healthy mouth and a longer lifespan, putting you in control of your health.
Lower Cancer and Dementia Risk
The National Institutes of Health have shared studies that report overall increases in the risk of developing cancer for those with periodontal disease. This increase is anywhere from 14 to 24% more likely compared to those with healthy gums.
Another study of 64,000 post-menopausal women found that those with a history of gum disease were 14% more likely to develop cancer than those with healthy gums, and one in three of the surveyed women went on to develop breast cancer. A higher risk of lung cancer, gallbladder cancer, skin cancer, and esophageal cancer was observed, too. That’s something to consider in relation to your oral health and how you approach it each day, isn’t it?
On top of this, studies found that people with healthy gums were 70% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than people who have suffered from gum disease over a long period. While these risks are higher, it’s not to say that if you don’t have perfect oral health or teeth, you will develop any of these cancers or Alzheimer’s, but is it worth the risk?
Improved Confidence
Your teeth and your mouth are some of the first things people notice about each other. If you’ve seen the viral image of the family where the man has missing eyebrows and teeth, you’ll understand. Most people noticed the missing tooth before the missing eyebrow, indicating just how impactful poor oral appearance can be. By improving your oral health care options, you can attract attention to your outward appearance for the right reasons, boosting your confidence and self-esteem.
If you don’t want to attract attention to your outward appearance for the wrong reasons, consider improving your oral health care options, overhauling the products and techniques you use, and rethinking your daily mouth care habits. Even small changes can have a drastic impact.
In addition to this, better oral health care means you can eliminate bad breath, which can be extremely off-putting when talking to others, and it helps you feel more comfortable engaging with those around you. You can also reduce tooth staining, receding gum lines, and a build-up of plaque on the teeth by improving your dental habits; these small changes to your mouth can be one less thing to feel conscious about. If you’re unsure of what you’re doing right or wrong or how you can improve your dental care, start by visiting your dentist, who will give you an idea of the current health of your mouth and what you need to do, if anything, to make the necessary improvements and changes.
Healthy Pregnancies and Babies
When pregnant, your body is doing a lot of work to help you grow a healthy baby. It’s really an incredible process. However, women with periodontitis have a higher risk of premature birth and low birth weight. One study actually found that women who gave birth prematurely were 45% more likely to have gum disease than those who carried to term.
Research suggests that one reason might be that the bacteria that cause inflammation in the gums get into the bloodstream and target the fetus. Thus resulting in preterm birth and low birth weight.
So, if you are pregnant or planning on getting pregnant, good oral care can help remove extra risk from your pregnancy and ensure your baby grows as healthy as possible (other factors aside).
Lower Risk of Disease
On the topic of bacteria getting into the bloodstream during pregnancy, this can also happen to those who aren’t pregnant. Gum disease in anyone can provide easy access for bacteria to get into your bloodstream, causing all kinds of havoc once it’s in there.
Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria produce a protein that causes the blood to thicken, increasing the risk of clots. This means the heart doesn’t get the nutrients and oxygen it needs.
Lower Risk of Complications
As surprising as it might seem, there is much research suggesting that those who already have certain health conditions are more at risk of complications from them if they have periodontal disease. Osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes all require you to be in good health at all times, and this includes your mouth. Diabetes, in particular, can make you more susceptible to infections, which makes you more vulnerable to developing gum disease. Gum disease can also make it harder to control blood sugars, which further reinforces the need for good oral care if you have diabetes. Maintaining good oral health is not just about your teeth and gums; it’s about your overall health and quality of life.
Lower Quality of Life
If you’re not caring for your mouth or your teeth, it’s only natural that you might experience a dip in your quality of life. You could end up making yourself more prone to infections, both in the mouth and in your body, that can impact your health and well-being. You can also increase your risk of health issues such as chronic tooth pain, bleeding from the gums, sensitive teeth, and even oral thrush.
Poor dental hygiene can even impact your romantic relationships. Certain health conditions associated with the mouth aren’t attractive and can put off current or potential new partners. It might even impact your ability to gain employment or promotions, especially if you are in a customer-facing role. You need a good appearance to deal with the public and be the face of a company, and poor oral hygiene isn’t something many businesses want representing them at any level, never mind those positions that are much higher up the ranks.
Add to this more low self-esteem issues from teeth that don’t look that great, and it’s not hard to see why neglecting this part of your body can be massively detrimental and can contribute to a lower quality of life.
Luckily, it is entirely within your control and something you can change or work to improve by changing how you care for your teeth and mouth. This includes visiting your dentist, regular flossing, eating a healthy diet, brushing your tongue, teeth, and gums, and generally paying more attention to the products you use, how frequently you brush your teeth, and your dental habits overall.
While it might not seem serious initially or even as important, the problems you can experience due to neglecting to care for your mouth properly can be vast and far-reaching across all aspects of your physical and mental health.
