Since historical times, teeth have been considered to be important to human health. Healthy teeth are an indicator of one’s personality. More than any part of one’s appearance, the quality of his/her smile has the most direct impact on the personality of the person. Healthy teeth are a must for the overall well-being of an individual. Teeth play a vital role in our every day life, and by treating any dental problems you can lessen the risk of developing a severe medical condition.
A healthy mouth and healthy body are two sides of the same coin because all that gets inside our intestine will virtually pass through our teeth. If you do not look after your teeth and gums properly, it can definitely affect your overall health. There are distinct benefits of having healthy teeth. These are:
Healthy Heart
The bacteria that cause gum infections can lead to or worsen atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), thereby causing heart diseases. A study published by the American Heart Association Journal Circulation found that people with the highest level of the bacteria that cause gum disease also had the worst atherosclerosis. This is because certain disease-causing bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream through the gums and stick to the fatty plaques in the bloodstream, directly contributing to blockages leading to a stroke.
Helps Keep Blood Sugar Stable
Maintaining healthy teeth is specially important if you have diabetes. If you suffer from high blood sugar levels, you may develop periodontal disease which will in turn have detrimental effect on your blood sugar levels leading to a vicious circle.
Avoid Digestion Problems
The process of digestion begins with physical and chemical processes in the mouth. Your teeth bite the food into smaller pieces which are easily digested by your intestine. Any problems in this process can lead to intestinal failure, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive disorders.
Protects Your Memory
According to a report by the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, adults with gingivitis (swollen, bleeding gums) tend to perform worse on tests of memory and other cognitive skills than their counterparts. As part of the study, it was shown that people (60 year and older) with the highest levels of the gum disease-causing pathogen were three times more likely to have difficulty with verbal memory tests, like recalling a three-word phrase after a period of time. Also, these people were twice as likely to fail three-digit reverse subtraction tests and verbal recall tests.
Reduce the Risk of Infection and Inflammation in Your Body
Poor dental health can lead to infection in other parts of the body. There is also a strong link between gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints. According to experts, the mechanism of destruction of connective tissues in both gum disease and RA is similar.
Boosts Confidence
Your smile is the first thing that people notice about you. It is very difficult to look and feel good when you have discolored or stained teeth. Having white teeth can contribute to a more pleasant physical appearance, thereby boosting your confidence, self-image, and self-esteem.
Healthy teeth is not a difficult thing to achieve if you are ready to visit the bathroom a couple of times a day. Looking at the benefits that it provides, it is certainly a good idea to take utmost care of them.
