It’s believed that nearly half of adults over 30 in the U.S. have some form of periodontal, or gum, disease. That may be a nerve-racking statistic, but you can do your part to ensure you land in the group that doesn’t have to deal with it. One way that you can boost both your oral and overall health is by exercising. Working out can benefit the soft tissues in your mouth, so here’s what you should know.
How Are My Oral and Overall Health Connected?
When you have an infection in your gums, it often starts out with inflammation and noticeable redness. It might be easy to ignore these symptoms, but it’s important that you don’t leave them untreated. As it advances, the soft tissues can recede or lead to tooth loss in more severe cases.
However, physical activity can be helpful against the initial symptoms you have. According to a study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, those who exercise often show less inflammation, along with lower bone and attachment loss. This means that getting your heart pumping can be a great way to boost your gum health and lower your risk of periodontal disease.
Another study in the Journal of Dentistry also found that those who work out regularly had a 54% lower likelihood of this condition. Even those who did it three times a week or less had a 33% less chance, according to The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
So, How Much Exercise Should I Do?
Since physical activity can do good things for your smile, your next question might be how much of it you should do. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends you do around 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week. Granted, it may be tough to jump into this if you aren’t used to it, so you can ease your way up.
Other Tips to Protect Your Smile
While you are getting in the groove of working out, don’t forget to take care of your smile during it! Here are a few tips you can follow:
- Brush and floss twice daily to remove bacteria on and underneath your gumline.
- Limit sports drinks as they are acidic and sugary, causing double the trouble for your grin.
- Breathe in through your nose, as doing it through your mouth can make it dry and impact saliva production.
- Try not to clench your jaw when doing a hard workout; that way, you protect your teeth from harm as well!
Last but not least, visit your dentist twice yearly! That way, they can make sure your oral health doesn’t have any red flags. If so, then they will take the steps needed to give you the problem-free grin you deserve.
About the Author
Dr. Khushboo Gandhi has nearly 20 years of experience that she uses to give the Murphy community the high-quality care they deserve. She believes in holistic dentistry, which is an approach to smiles that goes beyond the mouth. Dr. Gandhi is here to make sure poor oral health doesn’t cause harm to the rest of the body. If you are due for your next checkup and cleaning, schedule an appointment or call her office at (972) 449-5120.