Aside from practicing at home and receiving regular teeth cleanings from our Shelby Township dentists, oral health may not cross your mind much. Well, oral health holds great importance and plays a larger role than you may think.
Here are a few reasons why you should prioritize your oral health if you’re not doing so already.
Oral Health Matters Because It Can Affect:
1. Your Speaking Ability & Smile
Before we dive into the more in depth medical issues of why maintaining good oral hygiene is important, let’s talk about speech. There are a lot of dental problems that can affect your ability to talk, and this directly impacts your self-confidence and success in virtually all areas of life.
If you can’t communicate effectively, your ability to gain new skills and accomplish big achievements is significantly limited. Better is beneficial if you want to have more self-confidence.
Your smile relates to your ability to talk. After all, your self-confidence is directly impacted by your smile. The better your smile, the more likely other people are going to like you and chances are you’ll like yourself more too.
A good smile is also an attractive quality. Everyone wants to feel and know they look good and your smile is a big part of that. Not to mention, smiling can brighten your and everyone else’s day.
2. Your Body’s Overall Health
The quality of your oral health often points to other health problems in your body. For example, diabetics are more likely to have gum disease that’s more severe than people without diabetes.
Conditions like pneumonia and endocarditis (when the inner lining of your heart’s valves/chambers become infected) also happen when bacteria from a different part of your body make their way to areas of your heart and lungs where it shouldn’t be.
The good news is your body uses saliva as a natural defense to keep bacterial growth in check. However, some medicines like pain-killers, decongestants, and antihistamines can reduce saliva production bringing down that natural defense. This isn’t the only way saliva can be reduced so you need other ways to maintain your oral health.
Take care of your smile at home by:
- Brushing at least twice a day
- Using ADA approved mouthwash
- Flossing daily
- Limiting your intake of high sugar foods/beverages
Regular checkups with our dentists complement your oral care routine at home as we may see something indicative of another health situation. If you’re also concerned about an issue in particular, we can address that as well.
3. Your Risk of Developing Oral Diseases or Other Complications
Last but certainly not least, oral health is important so you can avoid tooth pain, discomfort, and decay. Unlike a lot of body parts, the human body doesn’t replace adult teeth. This is why it’s important to take care of them as they are the only ones you have.
Of course, there are restoration options like dental implants or dentures if, for whatever reason, you find yourself in need of a new pair of chompers. The goal, however, is to keep the teeth you have. Taking care of your mouth is crucial and shouldn’t be forgotten.
Let’s face facts: No one enjoys getting cavities filled, having root canals, or any other similar procedure. But if you need one, it’s better to get it done sooner so it doesn’t become an even bigger problem later. When you keep your mouth healthy, you help keep the rest of your body healthy.
Ready for an Appointment?
Our dentists in Shelby Charter Township, MI, are ready to help you have a smile you can be proud of. To schedule an appointment, call the dental office of Jeffrey T. Baker DDS PC at (586) 992-9222.
This blog post has been updated.
