Book an Appointment

Dublin Dentist

Follow Redmond Molloy

Dentist TwitterDentist Facebook 

Subscribe by Email

Your email:

Browse by Tag

Redmond Molloy Blog

Current Articles | RSS Feed RSS Feed

Five odd health benefits from brushing your teeth

  
  
  
  
  

1: Reduces Sexual Problems

Not brushing your teeth can actually interfere with your sex life. Redmond Molloy has read a study released in 2011 showed that gum disease and erectile dysfunction (ED) were related. Four out of five men in the study with severe erectile dysfunction also had gum disease. An Israeli study had similar findings > 15% of the men they studied with ED had chronic gum disease.

The link is that oral bacteria, built up from a lack of teeth-brushing, combined with plaque can enter the bloodstream through the swollen gums. This can causes penile blood vessels to narrow, blood vessels needed to provide blood for a normal erection.Teeth brushing can also improve a man's sperm count. A separate Israeli study found that of 56 male subjects, more than 50% of men with low or no sperm counts also had gum disease. Of the men with no sperm count at all, half of them had chronic periodontal disease.

2: Improves Brain Function

Sudoku, green tea, exercise and Omega-3s are just some suggestions on how to improve our cognitive functioning. But studies show we should add teeth brushing to that list. Gum disease has been shown to have an effect on cognitive dysfunction, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Redmond Molloy found a 2010 study by NYU researchers that tested 152 people to evaluate cognitive abilities. Using the Digit Symbol Test (DST) measureing adult IQ, the researchers found a relationship between periodontal swelling and low DST scores at age 70. In fact, participants with swollen gums were nine times more likely to get low scores. A British study also supported these findings it studied thousands of adults between ages 20 and 59 and found that bleeding gums and advanced gum disease were connected with poor cognitive function and health -- not just in advanced age but throughout adulthood.

3: Helps with Weight Loss

If you have gulped a glass of orange juice in the morning, right after brushing your teeth, it probably didn't taste so good. Brushing your teeth after you're done eating has that effect with more than just orange juice. Once your mouth feels minty-fresh, food and drink will not be that palatable, so you're more likely to stop eating. Teeth brushing is a signal for your brain to tell your body that eating is over. So after dinner, go ahead and brush your teeth. It will help you fight the urge to eat anything else. This alone can help with weight loss since many people eat out of habit or boredom at night. These calories are the worst because they don't get used up you just take them to bed and they become fat

4: Improved Pregnancy

Pregnant women are more prone to what is called "pregnancy gingivitis." This is a mild form of gum disease usually associated with bleeding and swollen gums . Focusing on good brushing helps with pregnancy gingivitis and also keeping your Dental appointments when you are pregnant.

Bleeding gums can be the beginning of full-blown gum disease, and that can cause more than just irritation or discomfort. There have been studies showing links between women who have chronic gum disease and premature births, or preterm/low birthweight babies. One study on 450 women that Redmond Molloy read found that of those with untreated gum disease, a staggering 79% delivered early or had babies with low birth weights. Compare this to a low 4.1 percent of women with healthy gums who had similar issues.

5:Prevent Respiratory Diseases

You don't usually associate teeth brushing with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and pneumonia, but it turns out, you can. So, what's the correlation?

COPD and pneumonia are potentially disabling respiratory infections and primary causes of death in the United States. These infections occur when bacteria get into the lower respiratory tract. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection and it starts when bacteria from plaque gets in and around the teeth. Can you see where this is leading?

In January 2011, a new study which Redmond Molloy has seen was published linking gum disease with respiratory disease. Research showed that the bacteria associated with gum disease could increase the risk of developing COPD and pneumonia. On the other hand, teeth brushing can reduce your chances of gum disease because it takes care of tartar and plaque, preventing the bacterial build-up in your mouth. By working with your dentist or periodontist, you may actually be able to prevent or diminish the progression of harmful diseases such as pneumonia or COPD," said Donald Clem commenting on the research

So, while it doesn't seem like much,but those six monthly visits to Redmond Molloy and that two to three minute brushing a few times a day could actually save your life.have-your-mouth-checked-for-gum-disease

 

 

 

 

Comments

Great article. :) 
Can you give citations to the related articles that you gave references to? Particularly relating to the BRAIN FUNCTION. I would be obliged.
Posted @ Thursday, January 10, 2013 1:02 PM by H.G
Post Comment
Name
 *
Email
 *
Website (optional)
Comment
 *

Allowed tags: <a> link, <b> bold, <i> italics