Healthy Gums, Healthy Life
Dental Hygienist Doreen shares what she learned recently at the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention
Recently Doctors Care’s Dental Hygienist, Doreen Swatloski, had the opportunity to attend the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention. This three-day convention brought in thousands of dental professionals, providing them a chance to learn about the latest dental-related studies and technology, as well as earn up to 18 hours of credit toward their continuing education. “This convention allows me annually to hear national speakers that teach us the latest information in medicine and dental health,” Doreen says. “It helps me stay at the forefront of current studies and trends that can keep patients healthy.”
Throughout the three day convention, Doreen soaked up a great deal of educational information about dental hygiene, and wanted to share some of the more thought-provoking tidbits:
Coffee can decrease your risk of cancer! This interesting finding is for all of you that need multiple cups of coffee a day! According to the American Cancer Society’s article, Can Coffee Lower Cancer Risk? , there is a strong association between drinking caffeinated coffee and a decreased rate of oral/pharyngeal cancer mortality. Consuming more than four cups of caffeinated coffee per day was associated with a 49% decrease in risk from dying from oral/pharyngeal cancer (when compared to zero or minimal consumption).
It takes more than Orbit gum to clean a dirty mouth. Though the Orbit commercials are fun and suggest they give you that “good, clean feeling,” your mouth needs more to combat the number of bacteria living in it. According to the British Dental Journal’s article, The Oral Microbiome – an update for oral healthcare professionals , the mouth is one of the dirtiest places of the human body. There are more than 700 million different types of bacteria living in an average person’s mouth. You can help combat these bacteria from causing cavities, gum disease, and bad breath by brushing, flossing and using mouthwash daily.
A healthy mouth and a healthy body are one and the same. Did you know that living a healthy lifestyle can help keep your mouth healthy? Doreen provided some simple lifestyle changes that can be made to help keep systemic inflammation at a minimum and help you stay healthy:
- Brush and floss daily – seems obvious, but this simple practice will keep gum inflammation at bay and prevent bleeding gums.
- Know your BMI (or if you’re overweight)
- Sleep well (7-8 hours per night)
- Exercise regularly (30 min, 5 times per week)
- Check your blood sugar regularly (know your A1C to prevent gum disease)
- Get your Vitamin D checked
- Avoid added sugar
Doctors Care appreciates the extra mile Doreen takes to go above and beyond with her care for our patients! Her passion for her work shows when she is treating patients and providing education about the importance of good dental health. Doreen has appointments available for Doctors Care patients up to age 50 for dental hygiene services Monday-Thursday from 9am – 5pm. Schedule your appointment today and learn more about what you can do to keep your whole-person healthy! 303-730-1313
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