Good oral hygiene is essential for overall well-being

26 December 2020, Kota

There’s more to oral hygiene than just brushing your teeth. Here’s why it’s important and how to get it right.

Good oral health and a beautiful smile can enhance one’s confidence. Good oral hygiene implies that the teeth are clean; the gums are pink and do not bleed and absence of bad breath. Dental hygiene can pave the way for a healthier life.

Unfortunately, many people do not pay attention to oral hygiene due to busy stressful lifestyle, change in diets from tough fibrous food to soft refined food and increased incidence of systemic disorders.

Gum diseases caused by poor oral hygiene have been linked to systemic diseases, like cardiovascular diseases, stroke, pre-term delivery of babies and diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes and gum diseases have a two-way relationship. Uncontrolled diabetes leads to increased production of harmful substances in the blood, which have a destructive effect on gums. Similarly, products released due to gum disease cause an elevation in blood glucose level, which may require more medication or insulin. So, maintenance of good oral health by a diabetic can actually lower his/her dosage. Bacterial toxins from gum disease enter the bloodstream and contribute to blockage of a blood vessel, resulting in cardiac arrest and stroke.