All of us have heard that people should brush their teeth to avoid having bad breath such as halitosis but what really goes beyond this? For starters it’s amazing to learn that many people have admitted not brushing their teeth frequently and it’s even startling to see shows such as The Bachelor/Bachelorette kiss one person after another without thinking anything about it. This last season we saw 2 individuals that said they were dentists and I couldn’t believe they could be so careless with their behavior. When it comes to health I don’t care if it’s in the name of love. People have to start being more responsible.
Studies show that a person should brush their teeth twice a day to prevent cardiovascular disease. It also shows that people who brush less frequently are prone to being at a higher risk. What’s exactly behind brushing? When you have poor oral hygiene it can lead to gum disease /gingivitis, which can cause inflammation which contributes to heart disease. Researchers have found fibrinogen and C-reactive protein in the blood of people who didn’t brush frequently.
Dentists recommend you change your toothbrush every 3 months and that’s something I do. I hope all of us have gotten into that habit. When you go to the store to get a new toothbrush have you noticed there are toothbrushes with indicators that show you when it’s time to get a new one?
Many people say that’s just because they want to make money and it’s really not, the bristles in the brush start wearing down and they don’t clean as well as they did in the beginning so if you get a haircut every month it doesn’t hurt to change your toothbrush every 3 months.
Something else a person should be aware of is brushing your tongue. Have you ever noticed people who open their mouth and their tongue is white? That’s disgusting. When you brush your teeth you should brush your tongue as well and scrape any food that may be on it. We don’t want to scrape too hard but you need to scrape it clean.
I want to bring in another factor of good oral hygiene and that’s flossing. There are a lot of people that don’t floss and they’re bold enough to say it, but they don’t realize why it’s important to floss. I guess if they think they brush their teeth twice a day that’s enough but when you floss you’re actually getting rid of any food that may be stuck between your teeth. If you don’t floss you have yesterday’s meal and today’s in between and you’ve eaten that as well; it affects your heart because what you eat has to do with your heart. You thought today’s meal was deliciously, yesterday’s is also a part of today’s; something to seriously think about.
After you’re through brushing and flossing, finish off with Listerine Antiseptic rinse or a good mouth wash and you’re all set. That’s a must as part of your oral hygiene.
We have to be aware that not only brushing twice a day, flossing and rinsing helps to prevent cardiovascular disease but the diet we have as well as your habits; we certainly don’t want to kiss every person we meet like the Bachelor without even knowing who they are and their lifestyle. You’ll be defeating the purpose. In keeping your teeth healthy remember your heart.
