Good oral health is more than clean teeth and avoiding cavities. The mouth is a gateway to your body’s overall health. Besides cavities, poor dental hygiene can have a profound impact on your health and longevity. There is mounting evidence that shows an association between poor dental hygiene and a wide variety of illnesses.

Stress is something that just about every person experiences, and it can lead to chronic health problems when stress-relief methods aren’t utilized. Your oral health can show signs of too much stress, manifesting these signs as canker sores, other oral ulcers, bruxism, tension and more. Here is how stress affects your oral health and what you can do to reduce wear and tear on your teeth and gums from that stress!

Smoking is one of the most noteworthy risk factors associated with gum or periodontal disease, which causes inflammation around the tooth. This irritation can affect the bone and other supporting structures, which can result in tooth loss. In addition, gum recession can cause adverse effects on crowns and other tooth restorations. Ultimately, the effects of smoking on teeth can lead to tooth decay, and pose a challenge in trying to implement restorative dentistry.

The level of wear on a crown is unique to each individual, and there is no finite amount of time a crown can last. Dental crowns can last for many years if you take proper care of your teeth. In fact, it’s entirely possible that you can enjoy multiple decades of use from a crown. Researchers found that 50 to 80 percent of crowns lasted for five to fifteen years, but even with proper care, crowns will not last indefinitely.

Thumbsucking is a natural reflex for children. Sucking on thumbs, fingers, pacifiers or other objects may make babies feel secure and happy and help them learn about their world.

Young children may also suck to soothe themselves and help them fall asleep.

Halitosis – or chronic bad breath – is something that mints, mouthwash or a good brushing can’t solve. Unlike “morning breath” or a strong smell that lingers after a tuna sandwich, halitosis remains for an extended amount of time and may be a sign of something more serious.