Healthy Teeth: My New Year's Resolution

The end of 2012 is right around the corner, as I celebrate and reminisce about the last 12 months I begin to plan for the next 12 months. How can I make them better than the last? Things always come up that I never planned for. This year has been far more of an adventure than I had ever dreamed of. One of those unplanned but welcomed surprises was when I got hired on as the Public Relations Director for a dental office in Sacramento, California. I have quickly developed a passion for encouraging our community to make healthy teeth and gums their priority.
I have a confession; before I started working in the dental industry, I did not even have a regular dentist. Every month I was paying for dental insurance I never used, the only time I thought about the dentist was when a tooth started hurting, which is usually a sign that a person has waited too long. I regularly do my part by brushing my teeth every day, not always flossing as much as I should. Recently I have realized that I have not been doing enough to keep my teeth as healthy as I need them to be to last me my whole life. It was my lack of knowledge that had led me to believe that I could avoid going to the dentist on a regular basis.
My New Year's resolution is to start taking better care of my teeth and gums, because having a healthy smile has a whole string of psychological and physical effects connected to it!
I want to keep my teeth for the rest of my life. As my body works day in and day out to clean my teeth, the interaction between food and saliva creates bacteria and acid. If the bacteria and plaque are left to build up and get between my gums, the acid can begin to eat away at the bone structure that is keeping my teeth secure. It can happen with virtually no symptoms and lead to gum disease. Although gum disease is treatable, bone loss is irreversible and can lead to the eventual loss of teeth. Not only can plaque cause the loss of teeth, it is bad for the heart.
Have you ever experienced bleeding gums when you floss? Well, that opening leads straight to the blood stream that is an open door to plaque and bacteria. The same plaque that builds up on your teeth builds up on your arteries once it enters the bloodstream. Clogged and hardened arteries can lead to high blood pressure, or worse, a heart attack. Proving that taking care of your teeth is taking care of your heart.
And the number one reason why I am choosing to take better care of my teeth this year...
Having a bright and healthy smile makes me feel good! When I am confident about my smile, I am ready for any challenge that I might face, from job interviews to first dates. The mouth is usually a main point of focus when socializing, it makes sense why feeling self-conscious about teeth can be harmful. Other people notice and are attracted to the cool courage a confident smile can bring. It boosts my self esteem and helps to keep my spirit lifted all day long.

Posted in: Dental Care