When someone eats whatever they want as often as they want and never seem to gain any weight, you may hear people say that they have a fast metabolism. This makes it seem like metabolism is the secret to maintaining a slim waist, but it’s so much more than that. In fact, research shows that having an unhealthy smile can impact your metabolism in a negative way. Read on to learn what metabolism is, how poor oral health can affect it, and some tips to care for your smile.
What Is Metabolism?
Metabolism is the chemical reaction that occurs in the body’s cells to convert food into energy by combining the calories in what we consume with oxygen. Metabolism also converts food to building blocks for proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and some carbohydrates and eliminates metabolic wastes. Having a slow metabolism can cause some people to gain weight in areas where they shouldn’t, like in the abdomen, around their organs, or in the liver. This type of weight gain is associated with conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.
How Oral Hygiene Affects Your Metabolism
When you have an infection in your mouth, like gum disease, harmful bacteria can spread to other parts of the body. Recent research shows that inflammation that’s associated with periodontal bacteria can lead to increased insulin resistance. It may also cause metabolic syndrome to develop, which is a cluster of conditions that increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, increased blood pressure, and abnormal triglyceride or cholesterol levels. These conditions can take a serious toll on your overall health, so it’s incredibly important to prevent them if possible.
7 Tips for Preventing Oral Health Problems
Fortunately, many common oral health issues are easy to prevent with proper oral hygiene. A few tips to keep your mouth healthy include:
- Brush and floss – Brush your teeth for two minutes once in the morning and once at night. Use fluoride toothpaste to strengthen your pearly whites and a soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent enamel damage. Floss before bed to remove plaque and food particles that your toothbrush can’t reach.
- Visit your dentist – Make an appointment to see your dentist every six months for checkups and cleanings. This will allow your hygienist to remove plaque and tartar buildups and your dentist to identify and treat oral health problems in their early stages.
- Limit your sugar intake – Cavity-causing bacteria feed off the sugar in foods and drinks, so cut back to lessen your chances of decay.
- Eat a balanced diet – Eat dentist-approved foods like fresh fruits and veggies, lean meat, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
- Avoid unhealthy habits – Bad dental habits like smoking cigarettes, chewing on ice cubes, and using your teeth to open things should be avoided as they can damage your pearly whites and make them more susceptible to decay.
Though having an unhealthy smile can slow your metabolism, practicing good oral hygiene, eating well, avoiding bad habits, and visiting your dentist will go a long way. With the above tips, you should be able to avoid oral health issues and keep both your oral and overall health in good shape!
About the Author
Bad oral hygiene can affect more than just your mouth. At Miller & Wolf Family Dentistry, the talented Altavista team knows that a healthy body starts with a healthy smile. They administer preventive treatments like checkups and cleanings to keep oral health issues at bay and encourage better overall health and a happy smile. Call Miller & Wolf Family Dentistry at (434) 324-8241 or visit their website for more information or to schedule an appointment.