Maintaining Healthy Teeth: Can Exercise Help?

Do you brush and floss regularly? Do you make a point of visiting your dentist once every six months? Do you ever wonder if there’s anything else you can do to keep your teeth healthy and strong? If you do wonder, would you be surprised to learn that exercising regularly can help?

For example, exercising regularly can even decrease your risk of getting periodontal disease—which is commonly referred to as gum disease. In fact, individuals who have a regular exercise regime are 30% less likely to have gum disease. Incidentally, if you exercise and refrain from smoking, you can reduce your odds of having periodontal disease by up to 50%. There have been similar studies that show that having a low body mass index can similarly help you preserve your oral health. Incidentally, if you’re interested in learning more about what you can do to keep your teeth gums safe, we recommend following a healthy diet, brushing and flossing daily, and scheduling an appointment with our dentist once every six months.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete or a marathon runner to enjoy the benefits of exercise. In fact, even walking for 30 minutes a day a few times a week will help. We recommend finding exercises you enjoy. If you do, you’ll be more likely to work out more often. If you have other health issues, you may need to speak with your dentist before deciding on an exercise for you. They may recommend low impact exercises such as yoga, swimming, or walking. While this will help you with your oral health, it will also help your overall health.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact The Chicago Family Dental Center at 312.551.0500. Dr. Gary Wegmann and our team look forward to hearing from you soon.