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How Oral Health & Mental Health are Connected

Did you know that your mental health and your oral health are connected and can affect each other? If you neglect one, the other can suffer. Learn how to improve both and have a healthier quality of life.

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Like many people, you may see oral health in purely physical terms. It’s easy, after all, to believe healthy teeth and gums only benefit your body. In truth, however, your mouth’s condition also impacts your mind – and vice-versa! As a result, poor health in one leads to poor health in the other. You should thus keep track of each to ensure your life is thriving. Luckily, your local dentist can help. Here, then, are the ways that oral and mental health relate and how to keep them both on track.

Unhealthy Mouth, Unhealthy Mind

If your mouth declines in health, chances are it’ll lower your confidence and self-image. From there, you’ll be at greater risk of mental illness.

You see, oral problems – tooth pain, missing teeth, bad breath, etc. – can harm crucial parts of your life. For example, oral pain or missing teeth can cause peer communication problems. This challenge, in turn, might lead to trouble at work or with friends and family. Such trouble can then grow big enough to cause anxiety, depression, or other unstable emotions.

Low Mood Means Oral Damage
As it happens, mental health issues can interfere with teeth and gum maintenance. Mood disorders, especially, often cause life changes that hurt your mouth.

Consider, say, clinical depression. Since this condition lowers motivation, it may make your oral care routines hard to maintain and manage. Rather than work toward a healthy smile and see it as worthwhile, you might think there’s no point in having one and neglect oral hygiene.

Similarly, anxiety might prompt you to develop bad oral habits. You might, for instance, manifest your stress as teeth grinding and jaw clenching – problems that trigger tooth damage. On the other hand, someone could take out their anxiety on their teeth via overbrushing. In that case, they’d suffer from tooth sensitivity and receding gums.

Making the Link Work for You
Thankfully, there are ways to make the mouth-mind link work in your favor. All you have to do is adopt the right practices. In particular, try out the following tips as listed below:

· Seek Professional Therapy – If you believe you have depression, seek professional help right away. With a proper diagnosis and treatment (therapy, medication, lifestyle, etc.), your motivation toward oral care may rise. You’d then have better teeth that help with confidence and body image.

· Turn Oral Care into Self-Care – When brushing your teeth, try to say positive affirmations about yourself. That way, you’ll link oral care with a better self-image. Furthermore, gradual improvements in your teeth will make the affirmations feel justified.

· Follow a Better Diet – A high-sugar diet can cause tooth decay and mood instability. As such, try to eat a mouth-healthy diet in the future. The change will result both in nicer teeth and a boost in mood.

Ultimately, you must care for oral health and mental health if you want stability in either. That being the case, remember to use the tips above. They’ll ensure your smile is as bright and happy as your mind!

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4 Financial Concepts to Consider When Choosing Tooth Replacements

When you replace missing teeth, you need to think about more than just present finances. Here are concepts that will guide you to the right solution for your smile and your wallet.

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When approaching a significant financial purchase, many people do their research. For instance, when buying a car, diligent shoppers often learn about fuel efficiency, horsepower and torque, and other amenities they prioritize until they find the perfect one. Unfortunately, not everyone is as thorough when it comes to replacing their missing teeth.

Often people think that traditional dentures or bridges are the best deal in terms of savings, but are they? Consider these four money-related concepts about dental implants, and you’ll see why you should approach them as you would any other important decision.

You Get What You Pay For.
You can’t expect to get a Porsche for the price of an old Honda Civic. In some industries, the more a product or service costs, the higher quality it is. In tooth replacement, this is certainly the case.

Implants may cost more initially, but they offer unmatched benefits. Unlike traditional dentures, implants are much more secure because they are bonded directly to the jawbone. As a result, these replacement teeth won’t slip out of position.

In addition, because of their stability, implants restore a much higher percentage of your original biting power, which allows you to eat nutritious foods and enjoy a healthier, happier quality of life. When you consider the quality of what you’re getting for the price you pay, dental implants are the smarter financial choice.

The Cost of Replacements Adds Up.
Traditional dentures last only about five years because the jawbone weakens without stimulation as time passes. As a result, you would need to pay for a new set frequently. At least every five years, you would spend more and more money. At a certain point, your total for dentures costs more than dental implants would have in the first place!

Although implants have a higher upfront cost, you don’t have to worry about replacements. They can last for decades, potentially saving you on your oral healthcare costs.

Dental Implants Are a Long-Term Investment.

Sometimes, it’s challenging to think of anything but the present. However, if you take a longer approach to your oral health, implants are the obvious choice for tooth replacement.

Decades from now, would you rather have a weak bite or a strong bite? Would you rather have a sunken, older looking face or a more youthful profile? Would you rather feel self-conscious and worried when you eat or talk or feel confident? Would you rather keep paying for your replacement teeth or be done with that expense?

When you envision the future you, dental implants can clearly become the best solution.

You Can Pay for Dental Implants Over Time.

Like any other dental expense, paying for dental implants doesn’t have to be a large one-lump sum. You can set up low-interest financing and pay for your tooth replacements on a monthly basis. As a result, the overall cost seems much more manageable and feasible within your budget.

In the end, when you consider all these facts, you can make a more informed decision. If you want a more temporary solution to your tooth loss, dentures are a great way to fill in the gaps in your smile. However, for most, dental implants are well worth the extra upfront cost, not only for the present but also for the future.

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The basics of taking care of your teeth and mouth.

Oral healthcare products represent a $50 billion industry. It is easy to get overwhelmed with all of the choices, but it can benefit your health and wallet to master the basics and establish a good dental health routine. In this article I advise to get an understanding of how to brush and floss as well as other important points that contribute to the health of your mouth.

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Why take care of your mouth?

The health of our mouth plays a large role in maintaining overall well-being and quality of life. The importance of dental health cannot be overstated, as it directly affects various aspects of our daily functioning. A healthy mouth allows us to chew our food effectively, promoting proper digestion and nutrient absorption. A healthy mouth allows us to speak clearly and effectively, influencing our communication with others and boosting self-confidence. In addition, good dental hygiene contributes to preventing severe issues like gum disease(periodontitis) and cavities. By creating a consistent oral care routine, individuals can minimize the risk of infections and painful conditions, preserving their natural teeth for a lifetime.

Neglecting oral care can have consequences for both oral health and well-being. Without proper dental hygiene, plaque builds up on the teeth along the gumline, leading to calcification and tartar and the start of gum disease. These conditions cause discomfort, pain, and, if left untreated, can result in loss of teeth. Beyond the physical implications, neglected oral health can also affect a person’s confidence and social interactions. Research has shown that poor oral health is associated with an increased risk of systemic health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections. Poor oral care can, therefore, have far-reaching consequences beyond the mouth, highlighting the importance of maintaining a proper dental hygiene routine.

Daily Oral Care Routine
Brushing
It is currently recommended by dentists to brush twice a day for two minutes with proper technique. We refer to the Modified Bass method as proper brushing. The Modified Bass technique is to angle the bristles of a manual toothbrush at 45 degrees to the gums and brush in a gentle circular motion making sure to touch the buccal(cheek side) and lingual(tongue side) as well as the biting surface of every tooth. It is important to avoid side to side and aggressive brushing to prevent excessive wear of the enamel. Using this technique, you can safely remove plaque and bacteria while preserving tooth structure.

Flossing
Flossing is still recommended as daily basic care for oral hygiene. It is the best way to clean in between teeth. Toothbrush bristles do not effectively clean in between teeth. To floss correctly, use a piece that is about 2 feet long. Long enough to wrap it around your hands to get a nice firm and controlled grip. Pinch the floss between your thumb and forefinger with about one to two inches of floss between your hands. Push the floss between the contact of the teeth popping all the way through. Slide the floss across each surface of the contacting teeth with a C shape all the way down into the gums. Move the floss up and down to scrub the interproximal surfaces. We recommend flossing once per day to keep the gums healthy.

Mouthwash

Rinsing your mouth with mouthwash is a nice addition to brushing and flossing but is not as essential. Focus on mastering the first two and you will have very good oral health. Mouthwash helps reduce the overall bacteria load in the mouth. Preferably use a rinse that doesn’t include alcohol.

Choosing Your Oral Hygiene Products
There is an overwhelming number of toothbrushes, toothpastes, mouthrinses, floss, and other oral healthcare products available. It seems like every year there is a new 9 out of 10 dentist recommended toothpaste that is supposed to whiten your teeth while preventing gingivitis and cavities. To be effective in your oral hygiene recommend just focusing on the basics. Search for a soft bristled toothbrush and change it out whenever the bristles become bent and frayed. You should expect to replace your toothbrush about every 3 to 4 months. For toothpaste, we currently recommend a fluoride containing toothpaste as it helps strengthen and remineralize enamel. It is a safe bet to use a toothpaste with an ADA recommendation label on it. Some toothpastes have a desensitizing agent like Sensodyne which can help if you are experiencing any sensitivity, but consider seeing a dentist regarding the sensitivity in case it is caused by a cavity or other problems.

Maintain a Balanced Diet
One of the best things you can do for your overall health and oral health is to drink enough water and stay hydrated. Drinking water throughout the day helps cleanse the teeth. It contributes to your dental health without having to put much thought into it. Fibrous vegetables help with clean teeth too. Make sure to consume vitamin rich foods too as deficiencies can show up in the mouth. Avoid sugar rich foods such as candy and sugar filled beverages. Acidic beverages such as soda and energy drinks also contribute to breakdown of enamel. Make sure to reduce your consumption of carbohydrate rich foods such as chips and crackers as they break down into simple sugars and stick to your teeth.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly for Checkups

Unfortunately, our teeth require some professional routine checkups. We only get one set of adult teeth and they can’t heal themselves, so it is up to us to take care of them if we want to keep them. It is recommended to see your dentist every six months. This allows the dentist to assess the condition of your mouth and catch problems early. We look for cavities, gum disease, infections, and possible signs of oral cancer. Things happen and it is best to catch it early. Your dental hygienist will professionally clean your teeth and make sure the calcified build up is removed to reduce your risk of periodontal disease.

Conclusion
These are the basic principles in maintaining your oral health. It is easy to get caught up in products and marketing, especially when there are millions of dollars being spent to get their products into your hands. Understanding the basics of keeping your mouth healthy and why will get you far ahead in your oral health journey. There are a lot of other factors that determine the health of your teeth, some we can control and some we cannot. We can mitigate most of those issues with the good oral health habits I described.

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