The Importance Of Taking Care Of Your Oral Health

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Anyone who does not like their teeth will have certain things they do to avoid showing them. This could be never parting their lips when they smile or covering their mouth when they smile or laugh. There might be various reasons as to why they do like their smile, one of them could be due to the colouring of their teeth or if they have a missing or loose teeth. These are both common things that many experiences as they get older. Part of the reason is due to age, one of the other aspects is due to their oral health.

As you age, your oral health is significant in affecting a person’s overall health and quality of life. Maintaining good oral hygiene is essential to ensuring that your teeth remain healthy and strong, especially as you get older. From early childhood to pregnancy, maintaining good oral health is very important for long-term health, especially dental care during pregnancy is much necessary as pregnant women face many challenges when it comes to maintaining their dental health. The increased levels of hormones can lead to gum disease, and the extra weight can put strain on the jaw and lead to toothaches. Taking good care of both your teeth and gums will help to prevent you from developing problems such as gum disease, tooth decays (cavities), toothaches and tooth loss. Alongside this, having healthy teeth and gums will also make it easier for you to eat well and enjoy food.

Ways To Maintain Healthy Teeth And Gums

Knowing why it is essential to take good care of your teeth and gums is one step closer to creating a solid oral hygiene regime. The next step is knowing how to maintain it. There are numerous ways to help ensure that your teeth and gums are just as healthy as you are as you get older. Here are a few ways to keep both your teeth and gums healthy and strong as you get older. It is important to know the signs that you need emergency dental care – check out Kake.com to find out the signs. 

Keep An Eye Out For Changes – As you get older, your chance of developing oral cancer increases. When you are brushing your teeth, take the time to look for any changes in your mouth. If you notice something that has changed, then you must get it checked out. Regular dental check-ups can prevent the spread of oral cancer. Hopefully, it will be nothing, but it is worth getting it seen by a dentist or doctor for their expert opinion. If you have noticed any of the following symptoms for more than two weeks, it will be worth booking an appointment to get them checked out. The symptoms can include numbness to your tongue or mouth, swelling in the jaw, a spot either in your mouth, lip, or throat that feels uncomfortable or sore, pain in one ear without hearing loss or if you are experiencing difficulty when chewing, swallowing, or just moving your jaw or tongue.

Regular Dentist Visits – Everyone is different, and the frequency of dentist trips will vary from person to person. The recommended amount is at least twice a year, with those that have oral health issues visiting more frequently. However, if you are unsure, ask your dentist the next time you go for your next check-up or cleaning how often they would recommend that you need to come in. Any Dentist in Brisbane, such as Pure Dentistry, will provide you with any information necessary to help ensure that you can maintain good oral health.

Implement More Healthy Habits – Eating healthy and reducing the number of sugary foods and drinks you consume will help prevent tooth decay. The bonus is that it will also be good for your overall health. Another healthy habit is not smoking or using other tobacco products. When you smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco, you increase your chances of developing oral cancer. Additionally, smoking can also increase your risk of developing gum disease.

Ask About Dry Mouth – Despite how it might sound, a dry mouth means more than not having enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Having a dry mouth can make it difficult to eat, swallow or talk. Alongside this, it can also lead to you developing tooth decay or a dental abscess. Sometimes dry mouth can be a side effect of you taking medicine. It is also a common issue if you have specifichealth problems, such as diabetes or getting chemotherapy or radiation. If you are experiencing dry mouth, it is worth asking your dentist or doctor about what you can do to help or resolve the issue.

Ensure That You Brush And Floss Regularly – It might seem like an obvious one. However, many adults fail to do this. It was reported that almost half of Australians do not brush their teeth twice a day. Brushing and flossing help to remove dental plaque, a sticky film of bacteria (germs). When people do not brush their teeth regularly, the plaque will build upon the teeth and cause tooth decay or gum disease. To avoid this, brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day – after breakfast and before you go to bed. In addition to this, floss between your teeth every day. Those who find it difficult to floss, ask your dentist about using a special brush or pick instead to help you clean between your teeth.

Benefits Of Good Oral Health

When you ignore your oral health, it can lead to bacteria and plaque build-up on your teeth and gums. If this is left untreated, the plaque will then harden into tartar and gingivitis, early stage of gum disease begins to develop. Without seeking treatment, gum disease can lead to numerous dental severeproblems, including tooth decay, oral infections, and tooth loss. However, the dangers of gum disease go much farther than this. Bacterial infection responsible for gum disease can spread far beyond just the gum line. Instead, it can infect the surrounding tissue, which will eventually contaminate the rest of your body.

All of this can easily be avoided with the uptake of good oral health practices. By taking care of your teeth and gums, your overall health and wellness will also be benefited. These are just a few of the benefits.

Reduced Risks Of Certain Cancers: Gum disease can, unfortunately, increase your risk for all types of cancers, in particular cancers in the blood. Increased risks can be due to the inflammation in your body caused by oral bacteria.
Lowered Risk Of Heart Disease: If the bacterial infection in your mouth enters your bloodstream, it can build up in your arteries and harden. Over time, this build-up can lead to a dangerous condition called atherosclerosis, a severe form of heart disease.
Help To Reduce Risk Of Diabetes Complications: Having gum disease will make it harder to manage blood sugar levels. This then can make diabetes even more difficult to control. For those with more advanced gum disease, they may experience an increase in blood sugar production.

Improving Your Current Routine

Fortunately, it is sometimes never too late to improve your overall oral hygiene routine. By taking theinitiative and looking at how having good oral health will help you reduce the risks of developing further health issues, you can see the importance of taking care of your teeth and gums. Taking the time to book an appointment at your local dentist (or pediatric dentist if you have children) or flossing and brushing twice a day are just some ways you can help maintain healthy teeth and gums.Maintaining a good oral hygiene regime will help you feel comfortable and confident about showing your teeth when you smile.