Epigenetics and Oral Health

Epigenetics is a study of how the environment and certain actions can cause changes to your genes, and thereby your oral health. The environment and various habits you pick up all play a focal role in the way you treat your health and wellness. 

By properly using the right techniques and habits to improve your oral health, you can naturally do so, without needing to get surgery or other lengthy dental procedures.

Oral health is expensive, so taking care of this now plays a big role in your overall health and wellness. Let's dive in and explore the ways in which epigenetics plays a role in the oral health you possess. 

Negative Environmental Factors and Epigenetics 

There are certain negative activities that do actually exacerbate your epigenetics. 

For example, stress. Stress causes issues with your oral health, and it can create problems down the line. For example,. If you’re stressed, it increases the immune cells, and it can cause growths and swelling.   Stress also puts you at risk for bruxism, which is teeth grinding, and that can wear down the teeth, while also causing them to look duller and more boring. 

Another is diet.   If you have a diet of healthy foods and various drinks, you’ll be able to keep bacteria at bay, and a healthier smile. But, if you’re constantly eating junk food, riddled with sugars and starches, you’re giving those bacteria free reign to eat at those sugars you’ve given them, and in turn, it also causes issues with your oral health, including tooth and gum breakdowns, and as well gum disease.

Finally, there’s other lifestyle choices and your oral health.   Smoking is one of the biggest, and it can cause many negative health consequences, including oral cancers.   If you smoke, you’re putting yourself at a huge risk, but by cessation, your epigenetics will improve and naturally, you’ll have a healthier lifestyle. 

Epigenetics and Periodontal Disease 

The various actions you take in life also open the door to periodontal disease, and oral cancers. 

If you don’t take care of your teeth, it’s putting you at risk for those, and in many cases, periodontal disease can result in tooth loss, and issues with the gum and bone.   But, if you do take care of your teeth, by brushing twice daily and flossing once, you can nip gingivitis, and periodontitis, in the bud as well.

Oral cancers are the same.   Again, while cancer can occur in anyone, those who engage in smoking and chewing tobacco end up putting themselves markedly at risk for this.   if you’re not careful, it can happen to you. oral cancer screening, and engaging in healthier habits and lifestyle choices allow you to have better dental health, and better oral results. 

More Research, More Opportunities 

There’s more and more research coming out as well on the various epigenetic changes you can make to improve your oral health. Switching to sugarless gum for instance, can help to naturally clean out the mouth, flushing out all of the bacteria before it becomes an issue.

With more research at the helm, it can change the game for so many in the field of dentistry, and patients too who struggle with different types of various issues.

Remember, while we do have genetics that play a role in the lifestyle that we offer, by making sure that you also take care of yourself, you’ll be able to practice epigenetics, and have better oral health. So make sure you do that, and try to make sure as well that your epigenetic changes offer marked results in the field of dentistry.

How to Eliminate Your Bad Breath

 Eww. Have you ever smelled your breath and recoiled in disgust? Bad breath happens from time to time. Whether you ate too many onions or garlic, or there’s a real issue there, bad breath is not good for anyone. It can mean bacteria in your mouth are also wreaking havoc, and tooth decay is rampant. 

Here, we’ll go over some of the different ways halitosis, or bad breath happens, and what you can do to prevent it. 

The cause for bad Breath 

Now some people may just have bad breath because they ate some garlic and it made their mouth smell foul. But others, this bad breath might be a symptom of something else. Oral bacteria, especially the gross bacteria that eat away at your enamel, create this foul smelling scent for your mouth, and it’s hard to get rid of.

Dry mouth is another. When your mouth is dry, it can sometimes create a smell, as it may be coming from the food stuck to your teeth. Finally, digestive health. If you have gut health or acid reflux, it might be a reason why your mouth just kind of smells a little bit.

In some cases, it might also be because of tooth decay, so keep that in mind when you’re trying to look into the root cause of bad breath.

The Best Practices for fresher Breath 

There are a few practices that help maintain fresher breath. These are, of course, brushing your teeth, tongue scraping, and mouthwash. 

Brushing your teeth is straightforward. If you brush your teeth, you get rid of the bad bacteria.   If that happens, then your breath will smell nice and fresh too.

The second one, tongue scraping, gets rid of those gross, white areas that are there. In a lot of cases, it can as well help you also get rid of the bad breath that plagues your mouth too. \

Finally, mouthwash. It’s a good solution if you’re worried about having bad breath and need to freshen up. It also will kill a lot of the bacteria. Try to make sure that you’re using a mouthwash without alcohol. It will not dry out your mouth then. If you do decide to use this, drink water. 

Daily tips for a Fresh Breath 

There are a few ways to keep your breath fresh every single day. 

The first is you want to try to brush your teeth after meals. Try to have it be thirty minutes after meals, and make sure to get all the areas. If you notice that you can’t or don’t have the means to, try to chew some gum in order to get rid of the foul particles. 

Then, look at your diet.   Eat a variety of healthy fruits and vegetables. Have foods that will clean the particles from your teeth. Avoid onions, garlic, and other smelly foods, especially if you’re already prone to bad breath. 

Finally, drink more water.   If you want to have fresh breath, hydration all day is the way to go. Try to go for eight glasses of eight ounces of water every single day, and make sure too that if you’re thirsty, drink some water. 

Consistency is the name of the game for improving your oral health. Taking care of it now prevents more issues in the future, so do so, and you’ll be thankful that you do. plaque and cavities are also done away with when you do this, so make sure to, when trying to be consistent with your habits, make sure you’ve got as many of these items as you can.