You may not realize it, but your oral health is closely linked to your overall health. So when your teeth and gums are healthy, it can actually reduce your risk of forming some more serious conditions, such as heart disease and even Alzheimer’s. Fortunately, there are some easy changes you can make in your day-to-day life that will help to improve your oral health – and, chances are, your overall health as well. Here are some of those changes:
- Improve your diet. Foods like sugary soft drinks, candy and baked goods may all sound delicious, but they can wreak havoc on your teeth and gums. If you have a sweet tooth, reducing sugar in your diet may sound hard. But it’s easy if you take it one step at a time. Start with getting rid of what is arguably the worst thing for your teeth: sugary soft drinks. When it comes to soda, it’s not just the sugar that’s bad, but the carbonation as well.
- Drink water instead. When you’re craving something sweet, try a piece of fruit instead. Better yet, try cheese as a snack. Not only is cheese a delicious treat, it’s also great for your oral health. And, of course, increase your intake of fresh vegetables and fruit, and lower your intake of unhealthy fats – like deep fried foods and fatty red meats – to improve your oral health and your overall health.
- Use dental floss every day. Most of us know how important it is to brush your teeth. But don’t forget to floss! It’s one of the easiest ways to prevent gum disease, and gum disease has been directly linked to diabetes, heart disease and many other serious health conditions. Always floss right before you go to bed and, if possible, floss more than once a day for even healthier gums.
- Use an anti-microbial mouthwash. Another great way to keep your gums healthy is rinsing at least once a day with any ADA-approved anti-microbial mouthwash. This is an excellent way to kill the bad bacteria that often lies in between teeth or right under the gum line. Using this type of mouthwash right before you go to bed – and after you brush and floss – is ideal. If you can get into the habit of using a mouth rinse in the morning as well, that’s even better.
- Drink more water. Staying hydrated is not only good for your overall health; it also helps to wash away leftover food particles that can lead to bad bacteria forming inside your mouth.
If you live in a community with fluoridated tap water, it’s an even bigger advantage since fluoride can help to prevent cavities from forming.
Achieving better oral health isn’t nearly has difficult as you may think. Often, it’s the little changes that we make in our day-to-day lives that can make all the difference.
