Dentist Trivia: What You Don’t Know About Oral Care
Going to the dentist every six months has been drilled into your head so many times you probably know it better than your best friend's phone number. But while that piece of advice is obviously very important, it certainly isn't the beginning and end of oral care. Your teeth chew your food, contribute greatly to your appearance, and won't cause you any pain as long as you take good care of them. Shouldn't you know as much about that care as possible? Here are some things you may not have been aware of.
Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body
Of course going to the dentist on a regular basis will go a long way in keeping your teeth clean and healthy and your gums free of disease, but that's not all. Oral health or the lack thereof can lead to problems in the rest of the body as well. Heart disease, in particular, has been linked in several studies with poor oral hygiene. Some doctors have noted a connection between certain infections of the mouth and their effect on the heart. All the more reason to not only keep up with your dental regimen but make sure you get into the dentist's chair on a more habitual basis.
Soda is Poison to Your Teeth
Okay, you probably knew that drinking Coke wasn't the best thing for your health, but you may not know how damaging it can be to your overall dental health. These sodas--and it's certainly not just Coke and Pepsi, but nearly all of them--are filled with sugars and artificial colors that will wreak havoc on your enamel and bring cavities to your doorstep. This much sugar is not only terrible for your health, leading to obesity and other problems, but it will lead to stained teeth and various dental issues.
Sugar free Gum is Your Friend
You may have thought that sugar free gum was only promoted by your dentist because it was a better replacement for the gum with tons of sugar. Better off, you might have thought, just leaving all of it alone. But this isn't necessarily the case. Chewing sugar free gum stimulates saliva, which can be a big boost in removing acids from your teeth and particles of food before they have a chance to decay in your mouth. Besides that, the sugar alcohols xylitol and sorbitol have both been shown to have strongly beneficial effects on dental health. These alcohols are typically used to sweeten sugar free gum.
Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body
Of course going to the dentist on a regular basis will go a long way in keeping your teeth clean and healthy and your gums free of disease, but that's not all. Oral health or the lack thereof can lead to problems in the rest of the body as well. Heart disease, in particular, has been linked in several studies with poor oral hygiene. Some doctors have noted a connection between certain infections of the mouth and their effect on the heart. All the more reason to not only keep up with your dental regimen but make sure you get into the dentist's chair on a more habitual basis.
Soda is Poison to Your Teeth
Okay, you probably knew that drinking Coke wasn't the best thing for your health, but you may not know how damaging it can be to your overall dental health. These sodas--and it's certainly not just Coke and Pepsi, but nearly all of them--are filled with sugars and artificial colors that will wreak havoc on your enamel and bring cavities to your doorstep. This much sugar is not only terrible for your health, leading to obesity and other problems, but it will lead to stained teeth and various dental issues.
Sugar free Gum is Your Friend
You may have thought that sugar free gum was only promoted by your dentist because it was a better replacement for the gum with tons of sugar. Better off, you might have thought, just leaving all of it alone. But this isn't necessarily the case. Chewing sugar free gum stimulates saliva, which can be a big boost in removing acids from your teeth and particles of food before they have a chance to decay in your mouth. Besides that, the sugar alcohols xylitol and sorbitol have both been shown to have strongly beneficial effects on dental health. These alcohols are typically used to sweeten sugar free gum.
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