Sophie Okolo, MPH

When it comes to your dental hygiene, it can play a more significant role in your general health than one might think. Good dental hygiene can help with both how a person feels and looks to themselves.

With that in mind, here are some of the health and well-being benefits that come with having good dental health.

Reduces risk of life-threatening diseases

With bad oral hygiene, there are more risks that come with life-threatening diseases being more likely. For example, there’s an increased chance of developing cancer through bad hygiene. 

It’s something that’s probably not expected when it comes to your gums and teeth but it can also contribute more so towards Alzheimer’s. This is a heartbreaking disease of the mind that can strip away a person’s being and personality, leaving just a shell behind.

For those who want to take care of their health and well-being, good dental hygiene is a must-have.

Provides more confidence in your smile

Being able to have more confidence in oneself is important, especially with the self-doubt and critiques that can be thrown our way. Confidence can come from the way we feel about ourselves and to some degree, how we present ourselves. 

Having confidence in one’s smile, for example, is something that can make a big difference to a person’s well-being. 

Avoids the pain of gum and tooth problems

Gum and tooth pain is not an enjoyable experience whatsoever. If not treated quickly, they can become pretty severe and so it’s important to stay on top of it with a local dentist that you visit regularly. 

An annual trip should be enough, however, there are some occasions when a problem may occur suddenly. It’s always good practice to go in and get it checked sooner rather than later. It’s going to be helpful to get it sorted straight away, rather than avoiding it and living through the pain of it all.

Prevents tooth extraction 

It’s important to look after teeth for as long as possible. We only have one set once our adult teeth come through, so it’s essential to maintain their health of them for as long as possible.

Tooth extraction can be a fairly traumatic experience and one that can be impactful on health and well-being. So with that in mind, try to keep on top of oral hygiene to prevent tooth extractions from being needed.

Keeps bacteria under control

Bacteria is something that can be found in the mouth. Did you know that there are more bacteria on the tongue than around the toilet bowl? A little nauseating to think about but that’s why it’s essential to do everything possible to keep bacteria under control. 

That’s why it’s good practice to not only brush two to three times a day but to also floss and mouthwash too. The more that can be done to keep the mouth clean, the better. That could even be chewing sugar-free gum after eating.

Good dental hygiene can benefit a person’s health and well-being greatly, so look after your teeth!