We all know that a healthy mouth is important to keep us alive. The primary role of teeth is to provide the body with the nourishment it needs for survival. Problems with dental health such as tooth decay and lost teeth can make this role a challenging one. Findings from a research study organised by the Oral Health Foundation revealed that the most common long standing disease prevalent in the UK is tooth decay.
A whopping 84 percent of adults are in high-risk groups vulnerable to the disease. These groups include those who have avoided visiting the dentist St John’s Wood in the last two years (21 percent), those who consume ‘moderate-to-high’ sugar-rich diets (21 percent) and those who fail to brush their teeth twice a day (19 percent).
Seeing that the mouth is the organ that connects to the rest of the body, it only stands to reason that a healthy mouth holds plenty of good news for overall health and wellbeing. A healthy mouth can influence important health goals like targeted weight loss, boosting longevity, protecting cardiovascular health, preventing inflammatory conditions and lowering the risk of mental illnesses such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Why caring for the mouth is so important for health and wellbeing
A healthy mouth lowers the risk of developing dreaded medical conditions such as strokes, pneumonia and heart attacks. Scientific evidence shows that a person with symptoms of advanced stages of gum disease has a strong presence of bad bacteria in the mouth. The presence of these harmful pathogens increases the likelihood of a person developing a dreaded medical complication as oral bacteria can move beyond the mouth and enter the cardiovascular system through the bloodstream.
Good dental health holds good news for the body in other ways too. One significant way is through a happy and healthy smile. By smiling more authentic smiles, a person can boost feelings of happiness. The movement of mouth muscles in forming a smile sends a direct order to the brain to stimulate the production of brain chemicals that allow one to feel happy and joyful.
Additional positive effects of smiles include: relieving stress, lowering blood pressure and boosting immune health.
Mental wellness is also aided by the ability to smile an attractive smile. An unsightly smile defined by crooked teeth can raise one’s vulnerability to bullying which can destroy mental health.
A pleasing smile, on the other hand, is known to have a positive impact on confidence levels. A healthy dose of confidence is required to not only make friends and enjoy a full social life, but to advance one’s professional career too.
All-in-all, looking after your dental health holds the key to enjoying much more than just strong teeth and good gums. Good dental health can affect physical and mental health in profound ways.
Dentist-approved oral health habits include gently brushing teeth twice a day, flossing between teeth to remove trapped food particles, brushing the tongue, consuming a tooth-friendly diet (low in sugar, low acidic foods, committing to bi-annual teeth and gum checks at a dental practice and seeking professional advice from a dental practitioner for dental-destroying behaviours like teeth grinding and clenching.
