We’ve all heard it before - ‘look after your teeth, or they’ll rot

away!’. It’s the mantra that we were all subject to from our parents,

grandparents and dentists growing up. It can lose all meaning after

you’ve heard it enough times. We all know it’s important to brush your

teeth twice a day, but it’s easy to forget that it’s important to do it for

two full minutes, or that daily flossing is equally essential to keeping

teeth-related ailments away. So let this be another fun and informative

reminder - Here are five reasons why it’s important to look after your

Teeth!

1 - Quality of Life

Going through life free of dental problems or complications is a

luxury afforded by surprisingly few people. In fact, around half of all

people in the world suffer from some sort of teeth ailment, and most

unfortunately do not get the proper treatment when these problems

arise due to poor access to health care in their area. If you are lucky

enough to be one of those who has healthy teeth, you owe it to yourself

to take care of them every day!

2 - Reduced Health Problems

Teeth related health problems are common but they can turn into

debilitating, sometimes life threatening illnesses - these include

periodontal disease, heart disease, dementia, diabetes and

osteoporosis. What may seem like a harmless lapse in your oral care

routine can come back to haunt you later in life, sometimes in extreme

ways! When you consider how easy it is to brush, floss and visit the

dentist regularly, the payoff is much bigger than some first realise.

3 - Money

The most immediate and tangible way that dental problems can

hit you where it hurts is at the bank! The smaller investments that seem

like a pain at the time - an upgrade to your tooth brush, oral care items

that bump up the supermarket docket or regular visits to the dentist -

are a drop in the ocean compared to the bills that can ramp up in

insurance and medical bills if things are left to get out of hand. It’s worth

making the small investments now to avoid the big kickers later in life.

4 - Life Expectancy

When it comes down to it, the most dramatic effects of bad oral

hygiene can and will shorten the lives of those who don’t take it

seriously. A study has revealed that those who still have all of their real teeth

at the age of 74 are far more likely to live to age 100, while those who had lost five

or more teeth by the age of 65 have a heightened chance of premature

death. On that somewhat depressing note, let’s end with…

5 - A Better Smile!

It’s fair to say that most of us appreciate the times when someone

gives you a smile, out of the blue. What can be reduced down to a

simple movement of face muscles can lift your own or other people’s

days immensely. Having a great smile is something many take for

granted when considering the amount of people who are hindered by

dental problems that make them embarrassed to show off their pearly

whites! That’s why we believe it’s worth taking care of your teeth - for

your smile, if nothing else.

No matter how old you are or from what walk of life you come, there’s

no denying that maintaining regular and correct oral hygiene practices

will do you nothing but good. It may come at a small cost in the short

term, but here at Gentle Dental we believe that you’ll always thank

yourself later on.