Speaking on the importance of oral health, JTA Wellness is pleased to welcome today’s guest blogger, Andy Higham, from the Dental School at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

I want to introduce today’s topic with a little riddle from a wonderful book and movie, The Hobbit, by J.R. Tolken:  “Thirty white horses on a red hill.  First they champ, then they stamp, then stand still?”   What are we? The correct answer is, TEETH.

Oral health can sometimes fall pretty low on one’s health priority list- compared to the world health issues like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, teeth might seem a bit insignificant.  However, as research continues to be done on human health and wellness, scientists are finding an interesting interrelatedness of all systems and parts of the body.  Poor oral health and high levels of oral bacteria may be linked to serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and endocarditis, as well as low birth weight or pre-term delivery in pregnant women.  Bottom line: oral health is a part of our overall health and should not be neglected.

Here are a few simple things that can help you maintain or improve your oral health:

1.  Brush your teeth at least 2X per day:   Most people understand that it is important to brush your teeth every day.  What you may not know, is that brushing removes what dentists call “biofilm” from each tooth.  Biofilm is a sticky mixture of bacteria, protein, and carbohydrate, which makes a happy home for more bacteria on the surface of your teeth.  If left un-brushed, the biofilm will cause demineralization and what we call cavities.  Two important things to remember when brushing:

  1. Always use fluoride toothpaste.  Fluoride strengthens your teeth and can help prevent tooth decay.
  2. Use a soft bristle toothbrush and very soft strokes.  One of the most common mistakes of oral health is brushing too hard.  When we brush too hard, we harm our gums. Over time, this continuous harm will cause gum recession and an unaesthetic outcome.

2.  Floss EVERY Day:  People sometimes ask me, “Do I REALLY have to floss every day?”  The answer is YES– at least, all the teeth you want to keep.  I’ll let you in on a little secret: every dentist knows whether you floss or not, simply by looking in your mouth.  We’ll ask about your flossing habits during your appointment to segue into a conversation (albeit, the answers we get are pretty funny), but we already know the truth.

So why does your dentist nag you about flossing?  The fact remains, flossing is a very important part of oral hygiene.  Flossing removes the biofilm between your teeth, preventing cavities, strengthening your gums, and fending off bad breath.  Nearly 50% of American adults suffer from gum disease (AKA periodontitis), one of the most common causes of tooth loss.  Tooth loss is also much more common among individuals with a poor diet or uncontrolled diabetes, which brings me to #3.

3.  Eat a Balanced Diet:  We receive nourishment from the food we eat, but so do the billions of bacteria that live in your mouth.  A well-balanced diet can promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your mouth, and help you maintain a healthy oral pH (pH is a measure of acidity; the lower the pH, the higher the acidity).  A prolonged acidic oral environment, caused through a poorly balanced diet, leads to an overgrowth of acidic bacteria, cavities, and tooth decay.  An excess of carbohydrates and sugary foods encourages acidic bacteria in your mouth to flourish.

To prevent oral health issues, you can increase the pH in your mouth by eating carbohydrates in combination with proteins or healthy fats.  For instance, an apple with peanut butter, or some crackers with cheese.  Proteins and fats act like the clean-up crew and can prevent the acidic bacteria from getting out of control.  Healthy fats actually inhibit bacteria from latching onto your teeth and causing cavities.  The good news is that these same combination principles can improve satiety as well as your overall health.

4.  Schedule Regular Dental Check-ups and Screenings:  Be sure to contact your dentist and schedule regular cleanings and check-ups. The old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is all the more important in oral health. Far too many people come into our clinic suffering from dental pain which could have been avoided by simply learning and living these good, simple oral hygiene habits.  And remember, taking care of your oral health is an investment in your overall health.