One of the best ways to protect the value of an aesthetically pleasing smile is to schedule regular appointments with a dental hygienist Richmond. For a smile to be happy, teeth and gums need to be in healthy condition. But why the health of our smiles should be prioritised is a really good question to ask.
The Oral Health Foundation tells us that our smiles can be considered an amazing asset. Much of the confidence we have lies in our ability to smile warmly and engage with others through this; we depend on it to influence our relationships with others, be it in social or professional contexts.
When we don’t like our smiles because of the look of our teeth, we refrain from smiling. This lack of confidence can have far-reaching consequences that impact mental health and psychosocial well being – we tend to engage less with others and miss out on social relationships.
That smiling offers us incredible benefits is recognised by 90 per cent of us. These benefits encompass dental health, overall physical health and mental health.
Day-to-day benefits of a healthy smile
A minimum requirement for a healthy smile is for teeth and gums to be in top condition. Many of us opt for dental treatments to enhance the look of less-than-pleasing smiles. These treatments can consist of tooth whitening, teeth straightening, veneers and dental implants. Besides the aesthetic effects of these treatments, another desirable by-product is that patients who invest in these treatments are much more likely to take better care of their oral hygiene going forward to protect the outcomes of their investment. The outright winners of any cosmetic dental treatment are the newly acquired smile and oral health.
Strong and healthy teeth continue to serve the needs of the body. The role of biting and grinding down food is necessary for food to be digested and nutrients to be absorbed to facilitate bodily functions. Teeth that are impacted by poor oral health issues quickly raise concerns about smile aesthetics but are also responsible for pain and discomfort when eating, which can risk nutritional deficiencies.
Other than nutritional problems, there is another concern to physical well being posed by poor dental health – aggravating chronic medical conditions. Bad oral bacteria do not just limit their disastrous consequences to the mouth alone but have been linked to medical conditions in the body as well. These harmful microbes can leave the oral cavity to enter the bloodstream and find their way to the heart and lungs, where they can trigger infections, strokes and heart attacks.
Smiling a beautiful smile has plenty of benefits for mental and emotional health. The simple act of involving facial muscles in a smile triggers a positive reaction in the brain. The brain receives the message and steps up the production of feel-good neurotransmitters – serotonin and endorphins – in the brain to make us feel good. The more we smile, the more these chemicals are produced and the more relaxed we feel.
Smiling is contagious, which means that not only do we feel the happiness within when we smile but, when we smile at others, this can make them feel the positive effects too.