Food, fitness and ... flossing?
Chelsea Blaufuss, Special to The Gazette
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Chelsea Blaufuss
Age: 24
Job title: Assistant manager at Emporia Fitness, dental hygiene student.
Your single most important tip for keeping good oral health: Brush your tongue! It will rid your mouth of a lot of bacteria and also help freshen breath.
The benefits of flossing may be greater than you think!
You’ve read about nutrition (food), heard about the importance of daily exercise (fitness), well what about adding a little floss action to your daily routine? That’s right, that $2 container of dental floss just sitting in your medicine cabinet might actually be beneficial to your overall health as well. We know that flossing can prevent gum disease (and cavities), but now studies are showing links between gum disease and heart attacks, premature births, and diabetes. I’ll get to those later.
The purpose of flossing is simple; to remove plaque, which is the colorless film of bacteria that forms on tooth surfaces. If plaque isn’t removed by brushing and flossing, the bacteria in it starts producing toxins that will irritate the gums and cause bleeding and inflammation which equals gum disease (gingivitis). This can be very painful, and will eventually cause bone loss around the tooth (periodontitis aka periodontal disease).
Heart attacks
This one is pretty simple really. When you don’t brush and floss, the bacteria that stays in between your teeth can make its way into the bloodstream. This can lead to clogging of the arteries by contributing to the plaque that builds up on the walls of the arteries, leading to blockages. It’s so easy yet so many people do not realize the importance healthy teeth can have on a healthy heart.
Premature births
It is not uncommon for a pregnant mother to develop gum disease. Women who are expecting have increased levels of hormones which can cause their gums to react differently to the bacteria. This has not been proven, but several studies are showing links between gum disease to giving birth to a premature baby.
Diabetes
Gum disease is known to increase risk for Type 2 diabetes. Studies show that periodontal diseases may increase insulin in the same way that obesity increases insulin.
You may think that brushing alone is good enough; however that big ol’ toothbrush of yours has no chance in the world of reaching in between your teeth where the tiny little floss can fit.
Find a floss that you like; there are many different varieties, it can be flavored, flat, thick, spongy or already on a holder, ready to go! It’s like washing your hands; once you get into a habit, it’s easy and a little can do a lot.
Gum disease is literally an infection in your mouth and we all know that no infection is good for the body, so the dental hygienist in me is suggesting a simple little preventive measure — flossing.
Your teeth are all you have to lose.
Shape Up, Emporia! is a weekly fitness and health column aimed at readers of all ages to get off the couch and get into shape. Each week will feature a fitness, health or nutrition professional from around the area who will share some friendly tips on how to improve your overall health. Our goal is to make getting in shape fun and easy to fit into your existing lifestyle and daily routine.