REASONS TO LOOK AFTER YOUR TEETH
The admonition to look after your teeth is a tale seemingly as old as time. At all stages of your life, you will come across someone reminding you to take good care of your teeth lest they rot away! This mantra will have come from numerous fronts, including your parents or guardians and your dentists. However, the constant barrage may lose meaning with time- a dangerous prospect when the consequences of failing to heed this advice are significant.
So, why is it so important to brush your teeth for two full minutes twice a day, floss once a day, and uphold proper dental care routines? Here are some of the primary reasons why you have to look after your teeth:
Quality of Life
A whopping half of the total global population suffers from some sort of tooth ailment at any given time. Additionally, the situation becomes more severe as many of these people will not receive the proper treatment due to poor access to the right dental care. As a result, for many, the prospect of living a life free of dental complications or problems is a luxury. Because dental conditions can affect the quality of your life, it is important to maintain the good health of your teeth to avoid major setbacks.
Reduced Health Problems
The correlation between some ailments and tooth problems may not seem straightforward. Therefore, it is easy to miss or overlook what dental neglect has on your overall physical health. Health problems originating in the teeth may be common. Still, they also carry the potential to turn into severe life-threatening illnesses, including dementia, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and periodontal disease. Consequently, present neglect can turn into significant future suffering, no matter how harmless it seems. So, think of those four daily minutes of brushing, the flossing efforts and regular dentist visits as an investment into a healthier future.
Money
Rectifying dental health problems can cause a significant drain on your finances as you deal with the aftermath of inadequate care. However, you can offset any potential future financial hits by making smaller, intermediate investments in the long run. To do so, start by changing or upgrading your toothbrush and making visits to your dentist a non-negotiable routine. While these actions may impact your monetary utility today, what you spend now will be considerably less than what you may have to pay out in medical bills and insurance premiums if you opt not to do so.
Life Expectancy
Bad oral hygiene may seem harmless on the surface, but underneath it all, the effects of this route can be as dramatic as lowering your life expectancy. For example, experts conducted a study that revealed that those who retain their real teeth at 74 years old are much more likely to live until 100. On the other hand, the study demonstrated that losing five or more teeth by the age of 65 increases the chances of premature death. That puts it into perspective, right? Therefore, proper care of your teeth throughout your life plays a role in the likelihood of living longer.
A Better Smile!
The smile is one of the most potent expressions a human face can make. Its effect not only on your psyche but also on others is indisputably positive, especially when it is unexpected. Therefore, having a great smile can count towards your ability to impact someone’s day positively. So, taking good care of your teeth allows you to flash your pearly whites with confidence.
Therefore, no matter your age, status or position in life or your goals, your dental hygiene is vital in maintaining your general health and well-being. So please don’t delay in establishing the proper oral care routine and teaching it to those under your care. The net effect of such an undertaking is wholly positive and will allow you to make small short term investments in offsetting most future ailments.
Finally, as you endeavour to take better care of your teeth, do not forget to involve your dentist. Their expertise will help identify emerging problems before they get out of hand while keeping you on the right track.
