We can all remember our parents telling us to brush our teeth as children, and as annoying as it seemed at the time, developing good dental hygiene is actually vital to your health. It goes far beyond worrying about vanity-driven issues like yellow teeth and bad breath. Research by the Academy of General Dentistry shows that poor oral hygiene can lead to serious illnesses like diabetes, oral cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, pancreatic cancer, and leukemia. In addition to serious, life-threatening illnesses, poor oral hygiene can also cause digestive issues, gingivitis, tooth loss, gum infections, and problems with the heart and other major organs.
Why Poor Dental Hygiene Leads to More Serious Health Issues
You may be wondering how this little part of your body can have such a massive affect on the rest of your health, so here’s why your mouth impacts the rest of your body. First, our mouths contain and attract tons of bacteria. One of these bacteria ( “bacterial endocarditis”) begins in the mouth and can travel to your heart and other major organs. Once there, it can infect the heart and valves, leading to heart disease and damaged heart tissue.
You may also be surprised to know just how much your oral hygiene impacts your digestion. The digestive chemical and physical process begins in the mouth. When this process is interrupted by mouth infections and unhealthy bacteria it can lead to intestinal failure, irritable bowel syndrome, and other digestive issues. So, next time you’re feeling “too tired” to brush and floss, consider the serious consequences of not caring for your teeth. It’s nothing to balk about!
Preventative Care
In addition to brushing 2-3 times per day for 2 minutes per brushing and flossing daily, you should see a dentist every 6 months for a cleaning, examination, and x-rays. Even if your teeth look healthy from the outside, invisible issues could be present like internal tooth decay, gum disease, impacted wisdom teeth, and even oral cancer. So, it’s important that you see a dentist every 6 months to prevent and detect oral issues before they get serious.
Get Affordable Insurance
We know dental care can get expensive and seeing a dentist can be intimidating, but having dental insurance and keeping your appointments can actually save your life. Thankfully, there are affordable options for getting dental insurance for you and your family. Guardian Dental provides affordable family and individual insurance plans year around, so you don’t have to have a qualifying event or application deadline to get the coverage you need. Guardian also makes the process of getting insurance easy and hassle-free, so you can apply, choose a provider, pay your bill online, and enroll in one click. There’s also no claim forms to fill out and they process claims on average in less than 2 days.
Guardian has been around for over 150 years and has provided insurance to more than 20 million Americans. They’re now one of the largest dental insurance providers in the nation we a massive network of PPO, HMO, and DHMO providers, so you can find a plan that works for you and your budget. To get a quick quote and view plans, go here.
We know money can be tight in this economy, but skipping on dental care is not something you can afford when it comes to your health. And if you do have a major issue with your teeth, being hit with a dental bill without insurance can be financially devastating. So, don’t skip on insurance, flossing or brushing, and no matter how much you hate going to the dentist, don’t skip those cleanings and checkups. Your health literally depends on it.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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