6 Reasons Why Dental Health is Just as Important in Adulthood

Most parents are constantly after their children to brush their teeth and take better care of their oral health. Unfortunately, it seems that many adults don’t put this same amount of effort into their own oral hygiene. Oral hygiene for adults is equally as important, if not more so, than it is for children, and here are six of the most important reasons why.

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A Healthy Smile Equals Healthy Confidence

People who are happy with the appearance of their teeth are much more likely to smile. A bright, white, healthy smile can greatly boost a person’s confidence. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true, and you’re more likely to feel quite self-conscious about your smile if you have missing or crooked teeth or they are stained, yellowed, or discolored.

A Hampton dental care specialist, or a similar specialist in your area, can offer you a variety of options to improve the appearance of your teeth and your smile if you’re not currently satisfied. However, no amount of dental work will make a difference if you’re not willing to take your oral hygiene seriously. Still, by focusing on your oral health and regularly visiting your dentist, you can easily get a smile you can be proud of and that fills you with a newfound sense of confidence.

Your Mouth Is FULL of Bacteria

It is estimated that there are more than 500 types of bacteria in the average human mouth at any one time. Although your saliva contains various enzymes that can destroy most disease-causing bacteria, it can’t protect you against all germs. However, brushing your teeth and rinsing with anti-bacterial mouthwash are also effective at killing off some of the bacteria. In addition, brushing and flossing helps to remove plaque, which is being constantly formed by the bacteria.

No One Wants to Smell Bad Breath

The bacteria in your mouth aren’t only responsible for producing the plaque that covers your teeth. If you don’t brush and floss your teeth properly, you’ll end up with leftover bits of food stuck to and in between your teeth. These food particles promote increased bacterial growth, and it is this bacterial growth—along with those decaying food particles—that is primarily responsible for bad breath.

As you’re surely aware, bad breath can be incredibly off-putting on a person. The fact that bad breath is usually a sign and/or a result of poor oral hygiene, it is yet another reason why you should focus on your oral health to ensure you have fresh breath.

Not Only Children Get Cavities

Many people tend to think as cavities as something that occurs more often in children. However, the truth is that adults are equally as likely to get cavities. In fact, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 91% of adult Americans between the ages of 20 and 64 have cavities in their permanent teeth.

Although most people eventually have their cavities filled, almost one-quarter of adult Americans have untreated cavities. Making sure to thoroughly brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day, trying to stay away from sweets and snacks, and scheduling regular appointments to see your dentist are all key if you want to prevent cavities and protect your oral health.

Plaque Is Linked to Other Serious Health Problems

Most people know that plaque is the root cause of gingivitis and other oral health issues. However, you might not be aware of the fact that oral plaque has also been directly linked to numerous other health issues. One such link is between gum disease and heart disease, as people with gum disease have a much higher chance of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke.

If you have chronic gum disease, it can also make diabetes much more difficult to control, and gum disease has also been linked to premature births and low birthweight. The fact that the plaque in your mouth has the potential to interfere with your health in these other ways should serve as even more motivation for you to take your oral health seriously.

Losing Your Teeth Is No Fun

If you don’t pay attention to your oral hygiene and make sure to diligently take care of your teeth and gums, there will eventually come a time when you’ll start losing your teeth. They might become brittle and break, develop huge cavities, and need to be pulled or simply fall out.

Not only will you be likely to experience quite a bit of pain and find it more difficult to eat, but you’ll also incur the additional expense of dentures or implants should you decide you want to replace your missing teeth. Luckily, focusing on your oral hygiene should allow you to keep your natural teeth well into old age and thus avoid the pain, expense, and hassle.

Neglecting your oral health can lead to a wide range of problems and will always come back to haunt you eventually. In fact, oral health plays a key role in your overall health and well-being. For this reason, it is essential that all adults take as much time to focus on their own oral health as they do their children’s.