Oral hygiene is the process of keeping the mouth clean and free of dental disease and bad breath by regular brushing and interdental cleaning.
But what if we told you that keeping your teeth healthy is actually linked to a longer life, moreover, brushing your teeth at a certain time is also associated with better longevity, compared to skipping the oral hygiene routine at that time.
Research published in the Journal of Aging found that good oral health contributes to longevity, and they studied the association of dental health behaviors and dental arrangement or condition on all-cause mortality in 5,611 older adults from 1992 to 2009 and calculated risk estimates for men and women separately. Such gender, body mass index (BMI), education, smoking status and chronic disease history of the participants were taken into account before conclusions were reached.
Researchers found that brushing your teeth at night before bed was linked to longevity. Moreover, healthy oral hygiene habits such as flossing every day and visiting the dentist were associated with longevity, and not seeing a dentist within the past year increased the risk of death by 30-50%. Compared to seeing the dentist twice or more.
On the other hand, researchers found that not brushing at night increased the risk of death by 20-35%, compared to brushing every day. Also, never flossing increases the risk of death by 30%, compared to brushing daily, according to timesofindia.
As the number of missing teeth increases, so does the death rate. Researchers have found that people without teeth have a 30% risk of dying, compared to those with 20 plus teeth.
A recent study published in Community Dental and Oral Epidemiology shows that maintaining healthy teeth appears to enhance survival in older adults.
The study found that people in their 70s have a greater chance of living longer than those with less than 20 years.
Aside from longevity, oral health indicators have been linked to many general health problems such as heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, dementia, and problems during pregnancy.
To maintain oral health, experts recommend brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
You should reduce the number of times you eat sugary foods and drinks and gargle or rinse your mouth after each meal.
Visiting your dentist regularly to reduce your chances of developing any disease and will also help in improving your smile, and that taking good care of your teeth will not only benefit your oral health but will also positively affect your entire body.
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