You have heard throughout your life how crucial it is to brush our teeth and floss every day. However, it is important to remember that caring for your teeth and gums does more than improve your smile and breath. In fact, good dental hygiene may actually reduce your risk of ulcers, pneumonia, digestive problems, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Being proactive in making dental hygiene a part of your everyday routine is imperative to having a healthy mouth. If you commit to working with your dentist and following the suggestions, you’ll improve your chances of keeping your teeth — and your health — for a lifetime.
What’s really going on in your mouth?
There are millions of harmless as well as destructive bacteria in your mouth, invisible to the human eye. Helpful bacteria break down the food you eat for easy digestion while damaging bacteria can clump together to create plaque – a sticky, acidic substance that builds up on the teeth.
We all get plaque on our teeth at one point in time and it is perfectly normal. If it is regularly removed (by brushing and flossing every day), plaque is harmless. But if left on your teeth, plaque begins to eat away and decay your teeth, which will ultimately cause cavities and gum disease. Over time, the bones and tissue that hold your teeth can be destroyed and your teeth may become loose and/or fall out.