What is oral hygiene and why is it so important?

Studies have shown a direct correlation between poor hygiene and heart disease.

Oral hygiene refers to keeping your mouth, teeth, and gums clean, which removes plaque and bacteria in order to prevent dental problems. Some methods are brushing your teeth, flossing, cleaning your tongue, and visiting the dentist regularly.  There is more technology available than ever before which makes it more possible to manufacture tools that make achieving excellent oral hygiene much easier. There are the coolest toothbrushes and the most convenient tools that all share the task of cleaning your mouth. They make it easier and easier to do what at one point might have seemed like a tedious task. For example flossing is hard, but it’s easier with floss picks. Don’t hesitate to visit the hygiene section at your corner store and familiarize yourself with the latest in products.  People are not giving enough importance to the health of their mouths.  It's not uncommon for people to stay away from the dentist until there is a problem. Then the first visit is usually followed by a prescription of antibiotics and an appointment to come back so the dentist can actually work once the infection is gone. This takes time from work, and family that most of us simply do not have. So why not be proactive and preventative.  Besides the strain on our schedule that bad hygiene can contribute to, it can also cause complications in the rest of your body that stem from poor oral hygiene.  Studies have shown a direct correlation between poor hygiene and heart disease. The main indicator of a potential problem being present is inflammation or swelling of the gums.  This is usually diagnosed as gum disease. There are two kinds’ gingivitis, and periodontitis. The latter being the one directly related to heart disease because it allows bacteria and other toxins to spread below the gum line and into the bloodstream.

Oral Hygiene is just one factor in overall health but definitely an important one to stay on top of. The longer you take to give your mouth the attention it needs the bigger and more expensive the problem will be so get to your local dentist for a check up as soon as possible.