How Working Out Benefits Your Smile

If you already exercise on a regular basis, then you know the indescribable feeling of accomplishment after an especially good session. Now, you have even more reason to pat yourself on the back; according to numerous studies, keeping your body strong and active also helps keep your smile bright and healthy. In addition to brushing, flossing, and attending regular dental checkups and cleanings, your Chicago dentists, Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas, consider regular exercise an important part of your good dental health care.

Maintaining Control

The human body was meant to be active. Even the microscopic cells that make up our body’s tissues are constantly in motion. When you push yourself physically, your body’s physiological processes improve, including your immune system and its control over healthy tissues. Your immune system defends healthy cells from harmful microorganisms, like the bacteria that lead to inflammatory gum disease. Regular exercise and a healthy immune system reduce your risk of developing potentially destructive dental issues.

Poor Oral and Physical Health

As one of your immune system’s most effective agents against malicious germs, inflammation is a common response when excessive bacteria (dental plaque) gather along your gum line. If you develop gum disease, or if your lips, cheeks, or gums bleed, these bacteria can enter your bloodstream and lead to inflammation elsewhere. Aside from poor dental hygiene, being physically unfit can also increase your risk of inflammatory diseases, and poor oral and physical health have been linked to a number of serious health issues, including;

• Diabetes
• Cardiovascular issues
• Heart disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis (which involves inflammation of the joints)
• Dementia (often ascribed to inflammation in certain areas of the brain)

ABOUT YOUR CHICAGO DENTISTS:

Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas are highly-skilled general, restorative, and implant dentists serving the Park Ridge and surrounding Chicago communities. To learn more about treating or preventing gum disease, stay tuned to our upcoming blogs, or contact us today by calling Loukas General Dentistry at (847) 696-1919.