Staying Active can Help your Oral Health

Smile Looking DownThere is a direct relationship between oral and overall health known as oral-systemic health. This means that if you practice a healthy lifestyle, you are more likely to maintain good oral health, and vice versa. The means with which to achieve oral-systemic health are pretty obvious: eat a healthy diet and stay active. Ah, exercise. For some, it’s their favorite part of the day; for others, pure torture. Many of us in the middle enjoy staying active, but have a hard time squeezing it in with our busy schedules. Des Moines dentistDr. Stephen J. Burds wants to inspire you to fit exercise into your diet by understanding the oral health bonuses.

Keeping a Balance pH and Nourished Physique

Inflammation is at the heart of all diseases. Fortunately, exercise is a natural anti-inflammatory. Periodontal disease occurs when your gums become inflamed as a response to harmful bacteria in your mouth. Exercise reduces the body’s natural inflammation response, which will reduce your gum disease risk. Working out also aids your body in effectively absorbing vitamins and minerals for optimal health.

Preventing Disease through Healthy Weight Maintenance

According to the American Diabetes Association and scientific research studies, there is a link between diabetes and gum disease. Exercise can help prevent diabetes, so in essence, it can help prevent gum disease as well. Working out also obviously helps you maintain a healthy weight. A study released in the August issue of the Journal of Periodontology highlighted data showing that subjects who exercised daily, had healthy eating habits, and maintained a desirable weight were 40% less likely to develop severe gum disease (periodontitis). The occurrence of periodontitis was, increased for people who did not keep up with healthy habits.

Visit your Des Moines Dentist

Besides eating a healthy diet and exercising, you should brush your teeth twice daily, floss daily, and attend regular dental checkups every six months to maintain optimum oral health. If you live in or near the 50309 zip code, contact Gateway Dental Group at (515) 244-9596 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Burds. We welcome patients from Des Moines, River Bend, Kirkwood Glen, East Village, and neighboring communities.