Our oral health (the health of teeth, gums, and the entire oral-facial system that allows us to smile, speak, and chew) is more closely connected and more important to our overall health than you may think.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
poor oral health has been linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and dementia.
Don’t think that because you don’t see or feel any problems in your mouth that you’re in the clear.
A recent routine visit with my dental hygienist uncovered some gum issues in spite of what I believed was a very good oral care routine. I had no clue. She put me on a rigorous recovery program.
If you are interested in checking out what is considered a good maintenance program, here’s one from Healthline: “11 Ways to Keep Your Teeth Healthy”
In my book, probably the single most important of these recommendations is to “See your dentist at least twice a year”. That may seem a little expensive but it’s not …in the the long run. It may even save your life.
Do you use fluoride toothpaste? Turns out you should. We stopped using it years ago because it got some bad press. Based on more recent information, I think we were wrong. As recommended by my hygienist, we are using fluoride toothpaste again.
How’s your dental program working? I’d love to hear from you.
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