A Healthy Mouth Helps Protect Your Overall Health

At Uptown Dental Associates in Albuquerque, NM we’re committed to helping our patients stay healthy in both mouth and body. Did you know that keeping a healthy mouth has a tremendous impact on your overall health? That’s because there is a tremendous research effort that’s linking poor dental health with a wide and growing list of potentially serious health conditions:

• Heart disease
• Lung problems
• Poor diabetes management
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Various types of cancer
• Premature delivery/low birth weight.

With that in mind, here are five tips to help you maintain your healthiest mouth and protect your overall health.

Tip #1: Make It A Habit

Your first line of prevention against dental health problems is your toothbrush and dental floss. Brushing twice a day and flossing thoroughly remove dental plaque from your teeth and gums.  Plaque is a thin, sticky film that can lead to gum disease, but it’s easily removed in its early stages. However, plaque begins to reform within 24 hours, so establishing and keeping to a daily routine is crucial to keeping your mouth healthy.

Tip #2: Protect Your Enamel

When it comes to your teeth and gums, harder isn’t better. If you’ve been using a hard-bristled toothbrush, you could be wearing away the enamel that protects your teeth. It can be confusing to know which toothbrush is best for you, so here are a couple of things to keep in mind: choose a small-headed toothbrush so you can more easily reach all the little nooks and crannies in your mouth; and choose a soft-bristled brush. Also, use a gentle touch. Plaque is soft and easily removed, so there’s no need to overdo the pressure you use to remove it. You can use either waxed or unwaxed dental floss, although waxed is better for most people with dental restorations that can cause floss to shred.

Tip #3: Cut Out The Extra Sugar

Sugar consumption promotes dental plaque, and here’s why. The bacteria that form plaque use the sugars in our foods and beverages as fuel. Today, most processed foods contain a large amount of added sugar. Sweet snacks are particularly loaded with sugar, as are beverages like most soft drinks and sports drinks. Limiting the amount of added sugar in your diet avoids feeding plaque-causing bacteria and is better for your overall health.

Tip #4: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

When it comes to keeping a healthy mouth, water is your friend. Saliva, and the beverages we drink, rinse plaque-causing bacteria off our teeth and gums. Saliva production depends in large part on how well-hydrated the body is. Drink more water to help rinse away bacteria, keep your saliva flowing, and benefit your overall health.

Tip #5: Trust Uptown Dental Associates

Despite your best efforts to remove plaque, small amounts can accumulate in hard-to-reach areas. That’s why regular dental cleanings and examinations from Uptown Dental Associates are so important to your health. Your dental hygienist will eliminate every trace of plaque which leaves your mouth feeling great! Dr. Ryan Shepherd’s dental examinations will detect any problems in their earliest stages. That means that they can be addressed before they become big problems.

To maintain a healthy and vibrant smile, prioritizing prevention is key. The experienced and compassionate team at Uptown Dental Associates in Albuquerque, NM, is dedicated to ensuring your oral health and, in turn, your overall well-being. Give our office a call today at (505) 219-4548 to schedule a consultation with a top-notch dentist in Albuquerque.