Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for reasons beyond having a mesmerizing smile. Your oral hygiene doesn’t only affect your teeth. If you fail to maintain your dental health, it could actually lead to more serious conditions affecting other parts of your body, including your heart. If you’re still skeptical about it, here’s what dentists in Edmonton have to say about the topic. The following are five reasons why oral hygiene should be given the utmost importance.

It Affects Your Overall Health

Your mouth is essentially a huge opening that serves as the entrance to the internal parts of your body. It is an important vantage point for detecting early signs of systemic diseases like diabetes. Physicians are able to detect diabetes through a mouth lesion or a gum infection. Aside from diabetes, there are numerous other conditions that can be traced back to poor oral hygiene, such as:

  • Cancer
  • Pregnancy Complications
  • Sepsis
  • Bacterial Pneumonia
  • Infective Endocarditis

Oral Discomfort

One of the earliest signs that your negligence to your dental health is affecting your body is through oral discomfort. This is almost a guarantee for those who don’t care about their oral hygiene. Toothache and bleeding gums are some of the common signs of oral discomfort. Any form of oral pain, if left untreated, can compromise your ability to work and function properly. If you still refuse to practice good oral hygiene or visit your dentist in Edmonton, that discomfort could lead to something much worse.

Preventing Other Forms of Diseases

If you thought tooth decay and yellowish teeth are the only things to worry about, there are actually other diseases that can be caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Studies have stated the relationship between gum disease and other health issues like heart disease and stroke. 

One good example is gum disease. The bacteria that causes this condition can enter your bloodstream, causing a buildup of plaque in the arteries that hardens over time. Eventually, this leads to atherosclerosis, which causes blood flow problems and heart blockages. Imagine having a heart attack because you refuse to brush your teeth properly.

Tooth Loss, Asthma and Arthritis

You’re more likely to get infections in your mouth if you don’t brush your teeth regularly. These infections could lead to inflammation of the gums that could eventually lead to tooth loss. Those infections could also lead to other complications ranging from asthma to arthritis.

Dental Health Impacts Digestion

Even something as simple as your digestion could be affected by the way you take care of your teeth and mouth. Digestion works through a combination of chemical and physical processes occurring in your mouth. If there are problems with your mouth, that could very well affect your digestive system, leading to irritable bowel syndrome or intestinal failure.

Conclusion

Looking at these conditions, you can only draw one conclusion—dental health is essential for your overall health. The best way to prevent serious health problems is through good oral health practices. By simply brushing your teeth and scheduling regular visits to your dentist, you reduce the risk of developing any alarming health issues.

At Edmonton Smiles, we provide patient-centric dental care through our affordable dentistry services. We are committed to providing the best possible care to you and your family. If you need a restorative, preventative, or cosmetic dentist in Edmonton, count on us to help. Book an appointment with us today!

 

Posted in Dental News & Advice