Wellness Tips | 19 January, 2021

Eat, drink but be wary!

Most of us think that a healthy lifestyle begins and ends with eating a healthy diet and getting as much exercise as we can.

Of course, these factors are crucial to keeping you fit and healthy, however the reality is that your oral health also has a major effect on your overall health.

Gum disease, for instance, has been linked to many ailments including pneumonia, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and it can exacerbate diabetes.

That’s why brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily, and seeing your dentist on a regular basis is so important.

But that’s not where it ends! How is your lifestyle affecting your mouth?

Smoking, drinking, taking medications, tongue and lip piercings, and stress, all have a significant influence on how healthy your teeth and gums are.

So, with the help of some of our Wellness People we’ve had a look at how some of these habits can affect your oral health and what you can do to make some improvements.

Smoking

We know that smoking causes staining and discolouration of teeth, due to the nicotine and tar in cigarettes. But things can get much more serious than stained teeth. Smoking has also been linked to a decrease of blood flow to the teeth and gums, bone shrinkage, teeth loss, and an inhibiting of the production of the right kind of saliva (a serious problem given how crucial a role it plays in protecting your teeth from decay).

By far the most serious effect of prolonged tobacco use is oral cancer, which is nine times more likely to occur in smokers than non-smokers.

To avoid any of these issues, the solution is to ideally cut down on smoking and aim to seek support to help you quit.

Smoking can damage your teeth

Alcohol

The sugar and acidity of alcohol are major contributors to teeth erosion. Adding to this is the damage caused by people going straight to sleep after a big night out, only brushing their teeth the next morning, leaving their mouth unprotected from erosion and decay all night.

The solution - drink lots of water both when you’re out partying, and the next day when you’re recovering. Also try to avoid mixing with soft drinks so you can cut down on unnecessary sugars.

Stress

Are you under pressure at work or in your private life and feeling stressed? Too much stress can lead to all kinds of problems with your mouth, teeth and gums.

You can end up with mouth ulcers and cold sores as stress affects your immune system. Unconscious grinding and clenching of your teeth can also occur and at worst, can develop into a temporomandibular disorder (TMD or TMJ), which is a painful condition affecting the hinge that connects your jaw to your skull. It also affects the wearing effect on your tooth.

Stress can also lead you to neglect even the most basic of habits such as healthy eating, brushing and flossing your teeth.

Stress Article Inner Page

Habits are hard to kick but getting a check-up can pay off big time. Book an appointment with your local Maven Dentist today and we can help you get your teeth back on track and looking great!