Why Dental Hygiene is Important

oral health

You’ve probably experienced times when it just doesn’t seem worth it to brush your teeth. Maybe you were and it just didn’t seem like that big a deal to skip. But oral health is incredibly important and you don’t want to make a habit of skipping. Here’s why.

1. Preventative Care

Keeping teeth and mouths clean and healthy is the best way to avoid issues like cavities and gum disease. You can easily keep your teeth clean on your own, but for complete care, you should be sure to see a dentist once or twice a year. At a preventative care treatment, an oral hygienist will carefully clean your teeth and a dentist will check for cavities, misalignment and soft tissue issues. Some dentists request periodic x-rays to check on areas of the mouth they can’t see with the naked eye. Dental practices like Gainesville dentistry can provide comprehensive oral healthcare along with basic cleanings and checkups, including pediatric dentistry, gum disease treatment, orthodontics and cavity treatment. All of this preventative care may seem like a lot, but preventing or catching oral health problems early can make a world of difference for your oral and overall health.

2. Oral Health and Overall Health

It may be surprising to learn, but your oral health is actually closely linked with the rest of your body. Your mouth is a gateway for gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases, and some infections that target the teeth and mouth tissues can have effects on other organs too. Evidence suggests that cardiovascular disease may be linked to inflammation from oral infections and periodontitis (a severe gum disease) can cause or worsen complications in pregnancy and childbirth. Good oral hygiene, regular checkups and avoidance of things like tobacco and sugar can help protect your oral health and your overall health.

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3. Confidence

It’s not all just about health either. Having clean, attractive teeth can do wonders for people’s self-esteem and confidence. People tend to show off their teeth when smiling or laughing. Teeth are important for eating and speaking, two incredibly important activities. And to many people, having nice teeth is just another part of looking their best. With good oral hygiene, you can keep your teeth looking bright and healthy and prevent bad breath. At a regular dental checkup, your oral hygienist can remove tartar and stains from things like coffee and tea. You can take control of much of what makes people feel self-conscious about their teeth with a little work and knowledge.

4. Longevity

Sometimes, as people get older, they begin to lose their teeth due to decay, wear and tear or neglect. There is no reason this needs to happen. The end goal of all the hygiene and preventative care is to keep your mouth and teeth healthy and intact throughout your whole life. In fact, the number of teeth in your mouth may correlate to the length of your life. Research shows that people who still have twenty or more teeth by age seventy live longer on average than those with less.

Oral health is important, and it’s an easy way to stay healthy and become more confident.