Shed Pounds in 2024 by Doing This

Kingston TN

Maintaining your oral health has benefits like reducing your risk of cavities and gum disease. But did you know that by keeping your teeth and gums in shape, you also reap overall health benefits? This is achieved by reducing your body’s inflammatory markers, which doctors measure through blood samples and their findings may clue them in to whether you have an active infection or help identify certain diseases and cancers. Additionally, inflammatory markers impact your ability to lose weight. Therefore, if losing weight is at the top of your New Year’s resolutions list, then you’re at the right place. On our newest blog, we share how to shed pounds in 2024 by making a few simple adjustments to your lifestyle and none of these suggestions involve hitting the gym for hours or fad diets.

How poor oral health affects your weight loss efforts

First, what is poor oral health? Well, nearly half of adults in the U.S. have poor oral health, which ranges from gingivitis to full blown gum disease and tooth loss. Unfortunately, most are unaware of their oral health status, especially those that avoid going to the dentist. Gingivitis is evident if your gums bleed while brushing, resulting in pink in the sink, or if your gums are inflamed and red. This condition is reversible with good oral hygiene, although if ignored, progresses into gum disease, which is the number one cause of tooth loss among adults.

Everyone has oral bacteria. While some bacteria are good for you, some are not. The bacteria responsible for dental diseases like gingivitis, gum disease, and cavities multiplies when a strict oral hygiene regimen is not followed. These dental diseases cause inflammation in the mouth, which can cause oral bacteria to enter the blood stream and be carried throughout the body into the heart, brain, and other vital organs. When inflammation occurs anywhere throughout the body, it increases your risk factor for certain diseases like heart disease and insulin resistance, which makes gaining weight much easier and losing weight challenging. Additionally, inflammation also slows leptin production, a natural protein that helps you feel full for longer. Lower amounts of leptin mean you’re more likely to feel hungry more often, which creates a cycle of inflammation and weight gain. The more inflammation within your body, the harder it will be to lose weight. However, the problem is two-fold. Losing weight may help lower inflammation in certain parts of your body, but if you aren’t taking care of your teeth and gums, then you aren’t treating the problem at the source.

Here are some helpful tips to help you keep your oral health in check, reduce inflammation in your mouth, and have greater success on your weight loss journey.

1. Improve your nutrition – Make better food choices by incorporating more lean meats and fresh fruits and vegetables. Your meals don’t have to be perfect one hundred percent of the time, but the more often you make healthier choices, it will help your oral health and benefit your waistline.
2. Brush your teeth twice a day – Reduce oral bacteria by brushing your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each session. Skipping this daily habit means oral bacteria multiplies at a quicker rate, causing more damage and increasing your risk of oral diseases that lead to inflammation.
3. Floss daily – Flossing is the equivalent of brushing between your teeth. Many adults don’t floss, unfortunately, which means that they likely don’t have healthy gums. Flossing is the only way to remove bacteria from between your teeth, which helps reduce your risk of gum disease or cavities from developing in these areas.
4. Get checkups and cleanings – Dental cleanings and checkups are necessary if you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy. During these visits, we’ll identify any problem areas with a thorough checkup, and the cleanings remove buildup responsible for gum inflammation and infection. Everyone accumulates buildup on their teeth, even dentists! So, don’t skip these twice-yearly appointments if you want a healthy mouth and better success losing weight.

Family dentists in Kingston, Tennessee

Losing weight is hard, and it helps when you don’t have things working against you like poor oral health. Therefore, start the year off right by taking good care of your teeth and gums, and you’ll likely see better results on the scale. To learn more about protecting your oral health, contact LakeView Dental Arts by calling (865) 248-2199.