There will always be people who do only enough oral hygiene to get by. Young adults are often the culprits of the “one swipe and done” toothbrushing method, but there are some adults out there who don’t take the time for thorough cleaning either. Aside from bad breath (we know about your stash of breath mints), you’re risking a whole lot more.
Oral Health is Not Just About Your Teeth
Consider this: Your mouth has billions of bacteria in it. Billions. Some of them just live their little tiny life cycles and die. Some of them are more sinister and hang around to cause decay, gum disease, and other nasty things. Doesn’t that thought just make you want to brush them out of your mouth right now?
Okay then, here are a few more facts for you. If you don’t take proper care of your mouth and you leave those little no-so-nice bacteria alone to do their thing, you have a good chance of developing periodontitis, more commonly known as severe gum disease. Now you’re playing with fire because this gum disease has been linked to some pretty serious diseases and conditions. Conditions that involve your entire body.
From Mouth to Body
Endocarditis is an infection in your heart lining that has been linked to bacteria that have traveled from… Go ahead, guess. Yep, one of the causes of this heart infection is bacteria from gum disease. In fact, there has been research that shows that oral bacteria can play a part in stroke, clogged arteries, and heart disease in general. Are you starting see where this is going?
People with diabetes are already at risk for gum disease. If diabetics don’t brush well and floss and take care of their teeth, they can develop periodontitis, which can cause their blood sugar to fluctuate and become harder to control. It’s like a circle. One makes the other worse makes the other worse and so on.
Believe it or not, severe gum disease can even lead pregnant women to give birth before their due date. Premature babies with low birth weights may be connected to oral bacteria traveling through the bloodstream and into the placenta.
And those are just some of the problems your body can face if you have periodontitis.
Ready to Brush Yet?
Why risk your heart over a few minutes twice a day? Just grab the toothbrush, brush all the surfaces of your teeth—use a timer if you have to—for at least 2-3 minutes. Take another couple of minutes to floss before bed. Along with your preventive dental visits, you’ll have a huge advantage.
Add these to the basics: Eat a healthy diet; Replace your toothbrush when it’s worn out; Hydrate! Keep that saliva flowing to protect your teeth from a buildup of bacteria and acid.
And You’ll Look Healthy, Too!
Once you’ve committed to keeping your mouth clean so your body stays healthy, you’ll SEE a change. Yes, your teeth will look whiter and nicer, but your body will look healthier as well.
Healthy Mouth = Healthy Body. You do the math.
Give us a call today (205) 655-4300 to schedule an appointment for your preventive care and to check out the health of your gums.