Who doesn’t want a beautiful smile? Yet many people don’t realize that a great-looking smile starts with preventive dental care, not cosmetic treatment. Of course, there are even more important reasons to take great care of your teeth and gums, and one is your overall health! Your oral health can actually affect your entire well-being. That’s because the soft tissue in your mouth can send bacteria and toxins to other parts of the body, through your bloodstream. So an abscessed tooth or gum disease can mean more than problems for your smile. It could have negative effects on the rest of your body as well. The good news is that even if you have neglected oral care in the past, it’s not too late to make a positive change. And that starts with great preventive dental care.

Compelling Reasons to Get Preventive Dental Care

Because the tissues in your mouth connect to other parts of the body, properly caring for your teeth and gums can have a positive impact on more than just the look and function of your smile. Great dental care can also prevent problems for the rest of your body.

Gum disease is one of the most significant risks to your overall health. That is because it has been linked to heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and other conditions. And while scientists are still studying the exact correlations, it is clear that having gum disease can put you at risk for worsening health conditions. Fortunately, periodontal therapy can help reverse the symptoms of gum disease, and may even be able to help improve your overall health. On the other hand, if you have diabetes, heart disease, or another chronic condition, it’s possible this could put you at greater risk of developing gum disease.

This is why more and more doctors and dentists are starting to work together to help better educate patients about the oral systemic health connection, so they can maintain better overall health.