We’re all told to do it from a young age, “brush your teeth when you wake up and before you go to bed.” We know the basics, you brush your teeth, so you don’t get cavities, your breath doesn’t stink, and for those pretty bright whites. 

But, there’s another reason to re-evaluate the hygiene practice and maybe step it up a notch by adding a water pick and tongue scraper. Brushing your teeth keeps your brain healthy. Your oral health directly affects your brain; if a dental hygiene routine is lacking, individuals can experience issues with learning or memory. 

A study conducted in California found that you have a 65 percent better chance of NOT developing dementia if you brush your teeth. If you have no knowledge of dementia in your family history, this might not sound like a convincing reason to be more diligent, but science says that gum-related disease could be the culprit behind an unhealthy brain and premature aging. 

Really, who wants to have a poor memory and brain fog when they’re older? No one. Here’s the reality though, 47.2% of us, after the age of 30, will develop some sort of severe gum infection that will damage the soft tissue of our mouths. That percentage increases as we get older; by 65 years old, 70.1 percent will have periodontal disease. 

 

Tools You Can Use to Take Your Dental Health to the Next Level

 

An Electric Toothbrush

Electric Toothbrushes are thorough, removing more plaque, and according to one study, you’ll keep your teeth for longer. 

 

A Waterpik

This tool is a must if you have dental implants or braces; it pushes a stream of water out with enough force to remove plaque in hard-to-reach places. However, keep in mind it is not a replacement for flossing or brushing. 

 

A Tongue Scraper

We don’t always brush our tongues when we brush our teeth, but we should. Harmful bacteria sit on your tongue and can contribute to poor oral health and affect your brain. Scrapping the odor-causing harmful bacteria off of your tongue will also freshen your breath. 

 

Flossing

A dental hygiene professor was quoted by WebMD saying there are five surfaces to your tooth. When you don’t floss, then two of those surfaces aren’t ignored. As a result, cavities can form between teeth, and you won’t notice them until you go for that annual dentist appointment. 

When cavities aren’t taken care of, or no measures are done to prevent them… well, then prepare for potential tooth loss because the longer they’re left, the deeper they bury into your teeth and cause rotting. 

Who knew that brushing your teeth is akin to prevent premature aging?
And remember, caring for your teeth goes beyond dementia. Poor oral health and gum disease has been linked to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.