A recent study from the ADA found that 28% of young adult respondents and 29% of lower-income adult respondents believe that the appearance of their smiles has negatively impacted their ability to get a job.
Most people, it’s safe to assume, brush their teeth once, maybe twice a day. After breakfast, perhaps. Again before bed. Maybe in between. For years, this has been considered fine: brush your teeth a few times a day and enjoy peak oral health for a lifetime.
Our brains are fascinating things, willing to jump through remarkable hoops to convince us that everything is okay. It is alarming what signs we can casually ignore and what myths we will happily glom onto in an attempt to justify our poor oral health habits.
Oral health is not separate from systemic health. Conditions impacting the health of teeth and gums have a direct relationship with symptoms and medical complications throughout the body. Gum disease, for example, may result in oral health issues like tooth loss or jawbone necrosis, but when bacteria from gum disease enters the bloodstream, health risks include: