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Add Better Mouth Health to Your 2019 Resolutions

Why You Need Annual Dental Visits
December 17, 2018
Dental Fillings For Your Teeth
January 5, 2019

Mouth Health

Millions of people will make resolutions for the new year based around their health and fitness, but many won’t specifically focus on mouth health–a major part of health that is often neglected. The American Dental Association recommends that people brush their teeth at least twice a day, floss 1-2 times a day and visit the dentist at least twice a year for specific services. However, a major percentage of people don’t do these basics, plus others that can completely transform a smile. Add better health—specifically mouth health—to your 2019 resolutions and see how to accomplish that goal with these tips!

How Mouth Health Impacts Daily Living

Your mouth health affects much more than you may initially realize. Speaking, smiling, tasting, touching, chewing, swallowing, and facial expression to communicate with others all depend on mouth health. When mouth health declines, our quality of life declines. Oral pain and disease can drastically affect day-to-day living for those that suffer from it. Millions of Americans are living with one or more oral diseases, like:

  • Oral and facial pain
  • Oral cancers
  • Dental caries (cavities)
  • Periodontal (gum) disease

The good news is that most oral diseases respond well to prevention with regular dental care.

The Mouth Health and Body Health Connection

Most of us don’t really think about mouth health unless it is exhibiting problems or pain. But, what many don’t realize is that mouth health can affect your overall health. Mouth health also can suggest how healthy the rest of your body is as well.

It isn’t that hard to accept that the entrance cavity for our body’s fueling system may carry more importance than we at first realize, but, still we tend to neglect it until problems arise. Understanding how prevention and maintenance of mouth health affects the rest of our system may encourage us to be more responsible with our oral care.

The problem with neglecting our mouth health and why that endangers our overall health comes down to one word. Bacteria.  The mouth is full of bacteria–some good, some bad. While daily attention to proper oral hygiene practices–brushing and flossing–usually keep bacteria levels under control, bacteria can reach dangerous levels when the body’s natural defenses are compromised and saliva flow is reduced, the Mayo Clinic reports. “Saliva washes away food and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, helping to protect you from microbial invasion or overgrowth that might lead to disease.”

Diseases and Conditions that Affect Mouth Health or Are Worsened by It

“A growing body of evidence has linked oral health, particularly periodontal (gum) disease, to several chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. In pregnant women, gum disease is also associated with premature births and low birth weight,” the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) said.

The Impact of Gum Disease and Plaque on Your Health

“A growing body of research finds that bacteria and inflammation in your mouth are also linked to other problems, including heart attack and dementia, and may well jeopardize your overall health,” WebMD reports.

While active research is still be done to better understand the effect of mouth health on total body wellness, it is  believed that oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream causing damage to the body’s major organs, WebMD said.

What to Do to Protect Your Health

At the center of gum disease and the subsequent problems is plaque.  An overabundance of plaque in the mouth is what triggers the inflammation, bacterial migration and health problems. To reduce the impact of plaque on your oral and whole-body wellness do YOUR part to control it daily and enlist the care of a dental professional to help do what you can’t do at home.

Brush twice a day with a fluoride-enriched toothpaste. Floss at least once a day. Flossing is a critical, oft-forgotten step.  Toothbrushes can’t eradicate food bacteria that gets stuck between teeth. Floss removes this bacteria and helps to reduce plaque build-up.

An antimicrobial mouthwash can also be added to your oral hygiene routine to help reduce the bacteria in your mouth in those hard-to-reach spaces. Liquid can fit between some of those impossibly-tight spaces that your brush cannot while also seeping into the gum tissue and helping with bacteria build-up there.

Professional, in-office cleanings are a must-have item to achieving and maintaining mouth health and a healthy body. A dentist is not only trained to spot problem areas in your mouth during a dental check-up that need special attention, but they are also equipped with the high-tech tools needed to get your mouth as clean as possible.

Dental sealants may also be recommended to further help protect your teeth from bacterial overgrowth and decay.

Call to Schedule a Mouth Health Examination and Consultation

Stonebrook Family Dental serves the Aurora, Colorado, community with advanced family, cosmetic, and implant dentistry services in a family-friendly atmosphere. Your trust and comfort are a high-priority to us which is why we invest in state-of-the-art technology and methods for your care. Contact us today at at (303) 872-7907! Whether you want to book an appointment, learn about serious dental conditions, find the best treatment for your dental problem, or if you have insurance or payment questions, our staff is ready and willing to help you get what you need. Our evening and Saturday hours provide you the access you need when you need it most.

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