Why Should You Make Dental Hygiene Your Priority!

Riya was very nervous that day. It was the last round of her job interview and she had to meet the CEO, for a face to face meeting. She was an excellent candidate for the role and she knew she would sweep the interview with the job and a great salary, if her skills were the only deciding parameter. She had also dressed up very aptly for the interview, looking her professional best. But still, something was bothering Riya very much.

Riya had been suffering from bad breath for the past one month. She had been postponing her dentist appointment for the past one week and today, she landed in a catch 22 position. She wished she had visited the dentist earlier or at least maintained good dental hygiene in the recent past. Not just Riya, but a lot of us do not pay much attention to the most essential part of our body, that is our mouth.

Dental hygiene is not only about the teeth but also concerns gums, tongue and the mouth cavity.

A research by Bristol University suggests that oral hygiene might be directly linked to cardio-vascular diseases. The research says “cardiovascular disease is currently the biggest killer in the western world. Oral bacteria such as Streptococcus Gordon and Streptococcus sanguine are common infecting agents, and we now recognise that bacterial infections are an independent risk factor for heart diseases Not just the heart disease, but other deadly illnesses like Alzheimer and pancreatic cancer have been linked to bleeding of gums and presence of bacteria in the mouth. Although tooth decay is the most common dental problem that occurs in all age groups today, other problems that could arise are gum disease (gingivitis), dry mouth (xerostomia), abscessed tooth, joint disorders, etc.

Those with poor oral hygiene are more at risk of developing gingivitis, especially those who have diabetes, as their resistance to infection is lower and also smokers. Women also have high chances of developing gingivitis during pregnancy. Stress, which weakens the immune system and genes can also lead to this condition.

Here are 3 simple reasons on why dental hygiene should be your top priority:

Overall physical health: A healthy mouth is good for your entire body. Dental hygiene is linked to a lot of health conditions as the nerves present in the mouth’s cavity are mostly linked to the brain. Any issues that arise out of the nerves related to dental hygiene can prove fatal to the functioning of many essential organs in the body such as ear, heart, etc. So, it is essential to pay attention to dental hygiene.

Boost confidence: Good dental hygiene ensures that your mental happiness and confidence quotient is also high, especially if you are a working professional.

Be a good role-model: When it comes to dental hygiene, it is of core concern especially if you are a parent. Children consume all kinds of junk like chocolates and candies than anyone else does. Hence, they are the most susceptible to dental problems. As a parent, if you introduce good dental hygiene habits in your lifestyle, your children will emulate you in the same.

Here are 3 simple things you could practice every day to maintain good dental hygiene:

• Brush your teeth twice a day
• Floss in between the teeth gaps and your tongue
• Rinse your mouth after every meal
  And, apart from these measures, it is advised that one visits the dentist once in 6 months to check on their dental hygiene status and also to get latest tips from the dentist on oral hygiene.