By Everything Lifestyle Staff

Dental care

This Daily Routine Improves Your Health More Than You Know

Aug 21, 2024 | 6:56 AM

Here’s why brushing and flossing are good for your whole body.

Most people start and end their day with a simple routine. This includes brushing their teeth and flossing. While you might have grown up being told that these simple tasks are important to keep your teeth healthy and cavity-free, what you may not have realized is that the simple routine of taking care of your teeth and gums is also good for your overall health.

Regular brushing and flossing are the most effective ways to keep your teeth healthy and strong. You’re less likely to develop cavities, especially if you go to the dentist twice a year for a professional cleaning. Good oral hygiene also keeps your gums healthier. This makes it less likely they’ll become inflamed, recede or develop an infection. Healthy teeth and gums help improve your health in other important ways.

How does your oral health affect your overall health?

Your oral health may play a part in other health conditions, and some of them can be serious. The biggest culprit is gum disease. In addition to causing inflammation in your mouth, the inflammation puts your immune system on high alert, circulating infection-fighting cells through your body and increasing the risk of other health conditions.

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Here are some of the health conditions that may be affected by gum disease and poor oral health:

• Cardiovascular disease. Research suggests that inflammation and infection caused by bacteria in your mouth may cause your body to increase the amount of cholesterol and fats in the bloodstream. This contributes to clogged arteries, which in turn raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. Inflammation may also increase your risk for high blood pressure.
• Other heart-related issues. Another way the germs in your mouth can affect your heart is if the bacteria spreads through the blood and infects the lining of the heart, called endocarditis. Although rare, this is a serious condition.
• Diabetes. High blood sugar levels can increase your risk of gum disease because the excess sugar promotes the growth of bacteria in your mouth. In turn, the inflammation from gum disease can cause blood sugar to rise, making it more difficult to control diabetes.
• Respiratory-related issues. If germs from your mouth enter your lungs, which is possible because your mouth is the entry to your respiratory tract, it can cause infections in your lungs such as pneumonia.
• Digestive-related issues. Your mouth is also the entry to your digestive tract, so if germs in your mouth are not kept in check, they may enter your digestive tract and throw off the balance of the bacteria in your gut. This may contribute to irritable bowel disease and other gastrointestinal disorders.
• Pregnancy-related issues. Gum disease has been linked to premature birth, as well as low birth weight.

What are the signs that you have gum disease?

Gum disease starts with symptoms that can be reversed. You may notice slight bleeding when you brush your teeth or may have mild pain, redness, soreness or swelling of your gums. This early stage of gum disease, referred to as gingivitis, is common and most people will experience it at some point in their life. But if you don’t treat it, it can lead to more severe gum disease, called periodontitis. Signs of periodontitis include red, swollen, bleeding or receding gums; loose teeth, painful chewing, changes in your bite; and bad breath.

If you have signs of gum disease, don’t ignore the problem. It’s best to see a dentist for treatment and recommendations about how you can keep your gums healthier. Doing so will not only improve your oral health, but can make you healthier overall.

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_{Medical Review: Perry Pitkow, MD}