It’s enough for us to see them flash their sparkling white teeth on camera. Hollywood celebrities indeed can make us drool in envy in this regard. Beaming with confidence, these A-listers provide an aura of invincibility. It seems nothing could go wrong. They’re as perfect as can be. What we don’t know is these high-rollers give their teeth ample time and effort to create that bevy of sparkling cogs. Meaning: They earn the dental accolades. And spend some.
But there’s more to dental health than just the aesthetics. A growing body of studies shows oral fitness is integral to body fitness. And this is where many Americans lag. Not only do lifestyle choices profoundly affect oral health, but poor dietary choices also impact it.
For one, cigarette smoking found to be detrimental to good oral hygiene is rampant in the Land of the Brave. About 14 out of every 100 American adults smoke. That’s about 34.1 million people, or 14% of the total population. And that just for starters.
Indeed, if you want to attain total well-being, forgetting about oral health is unwise. To note, body health can be adversely affected when the mouth is not taken care of. Here’s why.
Confidence Booster
It’s true. You need not be of certain physical attributes to become confident. For example, Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor, was reported to be of small stature, yet Europe was on its knees when he started his military campaigns.
Still, it’s hard to beam with pride if you have decaying teeth or gum disease. It would be an uphill struggle to present in front of your co-workers under such circumstances, especially if you have bad breath. It just eats your confidence bit by bit away. And with that, your mental well-being.
But a healthy mouth that’s free of cavities and gum disease can go a long way in improving your quality of life. You interact with people better. Meaning: You sleep better and live better. Best of all, you won’t have to deal with an aching tooth, swelling gums, or mouth infections.
Lower Your Heart Disease Risks
There may be a better reason for you to keep your mouth as healthy as possible other than just self-confidence. We’re talking about heart disease and other life-threatening degenerative diseases.
Studies show that chronic inflammation associated with gum disease can lead to the development of cardiovascular health issues. At the top of the list are heart disease and strokes. Knowing that heart disease takes as many as over 600,000 lives yearly should be an eye-opener.
Know that keeping your mouth as healthy as can be is a habit and not a one-act solution you can do to drive oral health a notch higher. A good way to start is to make it a habit to visit your dentist. These oral health experts can show you what needs to be done, not to mention get you those sparkling white teeth you’ve been longing for.
A fine example of great dentists is those from Rod W. Gore DDS. Their expertise, armed with state-of-the-art tech, is matched only by their desire to help every patient who comes into their clinic attain oral health in the best way possible. To note, patronage is a great way to test how good a dental professional is. Over the year, the clinic’s practice has produced a growing number of happy patrons who have sought their care for years now.
Memory Booster
Oral health also means better mental function for you. That can be crucial in any line of work. Even mothers who care for their young at home know how essential memory is to productivity.
A study revealed that people who had gingivitis (bleeding, swollen gums) flunked memory tests more than people who didn’t have oral health issues. Further, the tests showed that, in general, people with oral health problems had lesser cognitive skills.
What makes matters worse is that those dealing with gingivitis were shown to perform below-par performance on such essential skills as subtraction and verbal recall. These are everyday skills. A delayed verbal recall means it’s harder for you to recall conversations done an hour or two ago. And that can certainly lead to monumental issues if not corrected properly. Imagine how hard it would be for you to function in the kitchen if you forget the things you need to buy to get the work done simply because it was spoken to you and not written down.
The good news is making the most antibacterial mouthwash or a reliable toothpaste can help minimize gingivitis-causing bacteria. With proper care and attention, you should be able to get your teeth back in form in no time and your whole body along with it.
