• Back
  • |
  • 1 minute reading time

6 Reasons Why Dental Hygiene is Important

Importance of Dental Hygiene | Baton Rouge Orthodontist

Dental hygiene is the practice of keeping your mouth’s structures free from infections and keeping your teeth decay-free. Typically, this is accomplished with a regular brushing and flossing schedule, but the best way to ensure a healthy mouth is to have an experienced, local orthodontist perform dental exams and cleaning on a yearly basis. Good oral health is vital to a human’s overall health and wellbeing, as several studies illustrate. Untreated oral diseases lead to adverse health reactions throughout the rest of the body, not to mention great discomfort. But what are some specifics about the importance of dental hygiene? The dental experts at Frugé Orthodontics have put together a list of the reasons why oral hygiene is necessary to help keep the facts in your mind and your toothbrush well-used!

1) Oral Hygiene Affects Your Body’s Overall Health

Your mouth is the gateway to your body’s digestive system. As such, it’s a viewing point for observing early symptoms of systemic diseases such as diabetes, yeast overgrowth, and even immune issues. Patients with gum disease have a higher risk of having heart disease as well as increased inflammation throughout the body. Other diseases signaled by poor oral health include:

  • infective endocarditis
  • bacterial pneumonia
  • low birth weight
  • sepsis
  • cancer

An experienced, local orthodontist will be able to diagnose the causes of oral pain and lay out a treatment roadmap, but an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Schedule regular oral checkups, brush your teeth, and floss regularly to keep on top of things!

2) Quicker Detection of Oral Diseases

Everyone’s had a mother, father, grandparent, aunt, or uncle attempt to be an amateur dentist or orthodontist. Unfortunately, having a family member peek into your mouth with a flashlight won’t be enough to properly diagnose most oral health issues, especially the more insidious ones. By scheduling a regular cleaning by a dental professional, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that your mouth has been properly cleaned and inspected by an experienced orthodontist nearby. What’s more, any rare or difficult-to-spot conditions can be dealt with before they become major issues.

3) Avoid Tooth Loss

As the most common problem for both children and adults alike, tooth loss is caused by poor dental hygiene. The importance of brushing and flossing teeth is best established early in life so that good habits are formed. This creates a foundation for regular self-care that can last a lifetime. However, neglecting to take care of your oral health will result in:

  • tooth decay
  • gum infection
  • tooth loss
  • plaque buildup
  • bad breath
  • discolored teeth

4) Know What Your Mouth Needs

Every patient is unique, and the oral hygiene experts at Fruge Orthodontics know that everyone requires their own treatment program. There really isn’t a single “perfect” answer that covers everyone; two different people might even require different toothbrushing methods. Working with a trained orthodontist nearby will help you establish the correct oral hygiene protocol that best suits your unique needs. By creating a plan that you know will be the most effective for you, you’ll be more likely to follow it regularly, meaning that your oral health will improve and stay strong over time.

5) Good Oral Health Means Better Digestion

Having a healthy mouth means that eating feels comfortable. Most people know what a literal pain it is to try eating food with a cavity, especially foods that are very hot or cold. Most people try to avoid experiencing pain by chewing their food less and swallowing it in larger chunks. However, this causes an additional strain on the digestive tract because the stomach needs to produce more acid and work harder to break down food that hasn’t been properly masticated. Food also needs to be mixed and mashed with saliva for the best digestion results, meaning that chewing food comfortably and efficiently is of high importance. Working with local orthodontists will allow you to have the proper bite pattern to chew with ease and keep your teeth strong enough to last a lifetime of eating.

6) Dental Hygiene Improves Your Smile

Let’s face it, everyone likes to look good, and one of the keys to a good appearance is a healthy smile. Do you have a set of pearly whites that you’re proud to show off? By practicing good oral hygiene on a regular basis, you’ll have a smile you’ll want to show the world. Avoiding tobacco, sugar, acids, and other things that are hard on your teeth is a great way to protect through prevention. Another way to have a white smile is to brush regularly, use a mouthguard at night as required, and floss thoroughly.

Invest in Your Oral Hygiene Today!

Are you ready to start maintaining your oral health, improve your confidence in your appearance, eliminate painful cavities, or restore your ability to eat comfortably? Then reach out to Frugé Orthodontics via phone or email today to schedule an appointment with our staff and learn more about our services today!

More articles on Dental Hygiene

Want to learn more about dental health? See more articles from our experts from Frugé Orthodontics about dental hygiene below:

Flossing Options for Braces


Brush or Floss First

Brushing Before or After Breakfast

Benefits of Having Good Oral Hygiene