You knew exercise was great for your body, your brain, your heart… but did you also know it’s excellent for your teeth and gums as well? This further illustrates how our health is about our whole bodies, not just one element of them, as also demonstrated by the link between gum disease and heart disease. Where does the link between exercise and oral health exist? Let’s take a closer look!
Exercise Lowers Risk for Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease, or gum disease, often begins with bacteria that cause inflammation to your gums. The symptoms include pain, swelling, bleeding and receding gums, and eventually, tooth loss. Amazingly, a study conducted by the Journal of Dentistry shows that people who take part in regular exercise as well as don’t smoke were over 50% less likely than people who don’t exercise regularly to have gum disease.
The more active you are, the better! Even exercising a few times a week can reduce your risk of gum disease, and people who exercise less than that even reduce their risk by over 30%. Being physically active at least three times a week could mean cutting your risk of gum disease by half!
Healthy Weight, Healthy Smile
Further studies suggest that keeping your body at a healthy weight could also reduce your risk for periodontal disease. This means keeping your BMI (body mass index) in the low index range, meaning having a lower percentage of body fat as well as keeping fit. This could also be because those who care about exercising and their health take better care of their teeth. Not smoking, eating healthy, and regular dental checkups can maintain great smiles of athletes and non-athletes alike.
Planning an Exercise Regimen
You don’t have to be a superstar athlete—or even the kind that runs marathons—to participate in exercise. Even walking for 30 minutes a day most days of the week can improve your health. At a loss as to where to start? Begin with things you enjoy. Talking with your doctor about which types of exercise would be most beneficial for you is also a good place to start. High impact exercises such as jogging, biking, or jumping rope could be for you, or you may want to stick with low-impact exercises like swimming, yoga, or walking. The choice is yours, but remember that among many other health benefits, being physically active at least three times a week could reduce your risk for gum disease!
These studies also showed that smokers did not experience the same benefits of exercise as non-smokers did. In fact, smokers are more at risk for periodontal disease, regardless of their exercise habits! Exercising has many amazing benefits for your body, your brain, and your smile. Reduce your risk of periodontal disease by exercising!
