Our teeth have such an important role to play in our lives. It helps us chew and digest food, helps us to speak clearly, and also gives shape to our face. A smile has other daily benefits. It can give us more confidence, as well as influence our social life, careers and relationships.
For this reason, it only makes sense to provide our oral health with the best possible care. Good oral health can have so many wonderful life-changing benefits. A healthy smile can really transform our visual appearance, the positivity of our mentality, as well as improving the health of not only the mouth, but also of our body.
But what exactly are the health benefits of good oral health and functional teeth?
Teeth last a lifetime if we take care for them
How? By brushing our teeth twice a day, maintaining a low-sugar diet and regularly visiting the dentist, we can help reduce the risk of such diseases as dental caries and gum disease – both can lead to tooth loss.
Research has shown that the number of teeth we have is closely related to how long we live. Those with 20 teeth or more at the age of 70 were considerably more likely to live longer than those with less than 20 teeth.
The loss of teeth due to tooth decay and gum disease is almost entirely preventable, and there is no reason why, with a good daily oral health routine, we cannot keep our teeth for life.
If the loss of a tooth occurs, the dental implant is a perfect solution. It gives a natural look and feels exactly like any other tooth. As for the costs, the price of a dental implant starts from 249 euros.
Reducing the risk of disease
When we have gum disease, bacteria in our mouth can penetrate into the bloodstream. Then it produces a protein that causes the blood to thicken. This means that clots are more likely to form, and the heart does not receive the nutrients and oxygen it needs, resulting in an increased risk of heart attack.
Similarly, gum disease can also cause inflammation of the blood vessels, blocking the blood supply to the brain, leading to a potential stroke.
New research has also shown that we are more likely to develop diabetes if we have gum disease.
Reducing the risk of cancer and dementia
By keeping our teeth and gums healthy, we are more likely to reduce our risk of certain types of cancer, especially in women, as well as some forms of dementia.
New research, which examined data from 65,000 postmenopausal women between the ages of 54 and 86, found that people with a history of gum disease were 14% more likely to develop cancer. Of these, one in three developed breast cancer, while there was also an increased risk of lung cancer, esophageal, gallbladder and skin cancer.
Those who have healthy gums are also 70% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who have suffered from gum disease over a long period of time.
You can have a healthier baby
Pregnant women with healthy gums may be about three times less likely to have a premature baby, reducing the risk of having a low birth weight. Research shows (see examples in Dental Tourism Czech Republic) that there is a one to four chance that a pregnant woman with gum disease can give birth before 35 weeks. This is due to the fact that gum disease increases the level of chemicals that bring labor.
Maintaining your appearance
Keeping teeth clean and healthy can help us avoid bad breath (halitosis). Bad breath is very common and is often caused by the accumulation of plaque and is a symptom of gum disease and tooth decay, as well as embarrassing and unwanted.
Another very common condition that can affect our appearance is the staining of the teeth. The staining of the teeth is natural and comes with the “wear” usually associated with smoking or drinking tea, coffee or red wine.
Colored teeth are usually not harmful and tend to have little impact on the health of our teeth. Although having stained teeth can make us feel a little self-aware.
In most cases, we should be able to prevent staining of the surface with a regular cleaning, while more stubborn stains may be necessary to be addressed by a dental professional.