How Could Exercise Prevent Gum Disease?

It’s obvious that exercising has many benefits for your health. The activity burns fat, strengthens your muscles and heart, boosts your mood, and more! However, some of the advantages can be unexpected. For instance, did you know physical fitness helps your oral health? As surprising as it sounds, “feeling the burn” can keep your gums protected. To learn more, look over this summary of gum disease, its effects, and how exercise fights it.

Gum Disease: A Review

If you didn’t already know, gum disease is an infection of your mouth’s gums. Its symptoms include bad breath, red and swollen gums, painful chewing, and more. It’s caused by poor oral hygiene, which allows plaque to build up and spread harmful bacteria beneath the gumline. While dentists can reverse it when it starts as gingivitis, more advanced stages can only be managed.

Studies suggest half of Americans over 30 years old have some form of this condition.

Gum Disease’s Ill Effects

Many would say the first symptoms of gum disease are bad enough. Even so, the condition produces worse effects if left untreated.

For starters, it’ll cause even more problems for oral health. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss as the infection spreads to your jawbone. When that happens, it destroys your jaw and causes the teeth to loosen. As these pearly whites loosen, the risk increases that they’ll fall out.

Gum disease also triggers other harmful conditions. It’s already been linked to heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes complications, and kidney disease.

How Exercise Fights Gum Disease

Physical activity activates body processes that protect your mouth. Specifically, regular exercise improves your digestive system by pumping your blood and creating effective bowel movements. As a result, your body gets better at absorbing the nutrients that strengthen your gums. Your body’s overall health then improves, not just your dental health.

Research supports this conclusion. According to the NHANES, exercising 1-3 times a week reduces the risk of developing gum disease. Similarly, a study by Colgate found that nonsmokers who exercised five days per week for ten years showed significantly lower odds of getting it.

As you can see, it’d be good for you to add physical activity alongside your brushing and flossing. That way, your whole smile will be as strong and “fit” as your other body parts.

About the Practice

Springhetti Dentistry is based in Carmel, IN. They’re a family practice that offers comprehensive dental treatments for the whole family. These services traditionally include preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as gum disease therapy. As needed, the staff can also perform emergency dental procedures. Whatever your smile needs, though, you can count on excellent results. For more information or to book an appointment, you can reach them at their website or by phone at (317)-875-7645.