Not only does a proper oral hygiene routine help with keeping your mouth clean and free from extra dental work, but there are tons of other amazing benefits. Poor oral health can contribute to several harmful diseases, and can be a big indicator of a patient’s overall health.

Periodontitis, or advanced gum disease, has a link to systemic health problems, which is why maintaining good oral health to avoid developing gum disease is so important. This is what we call preventative dentistry at The Dental Care Center. 

 So, you might be wondering what exactly are the benefits of good oral hygiene? Let’s review.

What is Good Oral Hygiene? 

First, let’s start with the basics. The most fundamental steps for ensuring proper oral hygiene are brushing and flossing. Brush and floss twice daily, and use a toothpaste that carries an ADA seal. It’s also incredibly important to visit your dental office for a cleaning at least twice a year. Finally, stay away from tobacco products and limit sugary or acidic foods and beverages. A few other helpful tips for keeping your oral health routine top-notch is to use a mouthwash and stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. 

So, you’ve established this awesome oral health routine…but what’s the big deal? There are almost too many reasons to count! Here are just a few of the wonderful benefits of a proper oral hygiene routine.

Reduced Risk of Disease Development 

If you have a healthy mouth, you’re in luck! Your risk for many harmful diseases is significantly less than those who don’t take proper care of their teeth and gums. If you don’t make oral health a priority, you could be at a higher risk of developing certain diseases, including:

• Cancer
• Stroke
• Heart disease and heart attacks
• Type 2 Diabetes 
• Alzheimer’s disease 

Reduced Risk of Oral Health Complications 

These benefits are fairly self-explanatory, but key for steering clear for some of the nasty health complications above. If you take care of your teeth, your risk of developing oral health issues decreases, as do the chances of having to visit us for problems with:

• Tooth decay, 
• Tooth sensitivity, 
• Cavities or problem fillings,
• Tooth extractions; and, 
• Root canals and oral surgery. 

Other Amazing Benefits  

Yes, there’s more! It might be hard to believe, but your oral health has links to most systems in your body and can be a telltale sign of overall health. In case we haven’t convinced you that good oral hygiene is critical for overall health, we’ll leave you with these last few amazing benefits:

• Fresh breath 
• Better gum health 
• Improved fertility and healthier pregnancies 
• Less joint inflammation 
• Improved sexual performance 
• Protects brain cells 
• More weight loss success
• And, of course, cost -preventative care is much less expensive than emergency care! 

So with all of these incredible and sometimes life-altering benefits, why not make oral health care a priority? Need help establishing your oral hygiene routine or overdue for your yearly cleaning? Contact us.