This four-part article series explains 12 interesting and enlightening facts you may not have known about oral health and hygiene.

Welcome to the second installment of this four-part article series on 12 extraordinary dental facts and statistics. An important part of improving oral health across the United States is promoting greater awareness of the various dental healthcare problems we face. For example, did you know that tooth decay is the second most common disease in the U.S.? Did you know that the average American only brushes his or her teeth for 38 seconds per day in total, when the recommended time is 6 minutes? And did you know that if you skip flossing, you neglect to clean 35% of your tooth surfaces? According to teeth implants specialists in Arizona, all of the above is true and yet, few people realize just how serious the implications of this kind of neglect are for oral health!

Let’s continue with some more dental facts.

Fascinating Fact # 4

Here’s a big one. It’s estimated by cosmetic dentists in Sun City that a staggering 80% of the population presents with some form or stage of gum disease, be it gingivitis or periodontal disease. In other words, if you’re standing in a room with 9 other people, only two people in that room will be in good oral health. The rest are at a risk of losing teeth some time in the short to medium future as a result of gum disease. So, if you don’t brush and floss regularly, the odds are not exactly stacked in your favor.

“This really highlights just how pervasive oral disease is in the United States. We are obsessed with good bodily hygiene, diet, exercise and general health, yet totally drop the ball on oral health,” says a teeth implants specialist in Arizona. “We all want the benefits of a gorgeous healthy smile, yet can’t be bothered to make the effort to keep our teeth healthy. Gum disease is extremely common. Make sure you do what you can to prevent it, or else I’ll be seeing you in my office in the not-so distant future!”

Fascinating Fact # 5

A systemic disease is one that affects most of the body’s major organs and systems. In other words, it doesn’t only have ramifications for a singular system. One of the areas of the body that is almost always affected by systemic diseases, such as diabetes, is the mouth and vice-versa. Did you know that gum disease shares a link with conditions that include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Respiratory disease
• Cancer
• Risk of stroke
• Diabetes
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Pregnancy complications
• Low birth-weight babies
• Osteoporosis
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
  

The list goes on! “Your mouth is a direct portal into the rest of your body,” says a cosmetic dentist in Sun City. “If it’s diseased and unclean, you are exposing your entire body and all its systems to dangerous bacteria. This is done via swallowing, respiration and the blood stream.”

Fascinating Fact # 6

In light of the above-mentioned point and the fact that the health of your mouth and body are so connected, good oral health and hygiene can help to prevent heart problems! It is well documented in the medical literature that cardiovascular disease and gum disease share a very close relationship. Additionally, it has been discovered that people who have had heart attacks have deposits of the same kind of oral disease-causing bacteria in the ventricles of their hearts!

“By going for regular dental cleanings and check-ups, you can keep your teeth free of the bacteria that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease,” says a dental specialist in Arizona.

Stay Tuned for Part 3

To read more fascinating and educational facts about dental health and statistics, stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series.