Keeping weight within healthy levels goes far beyond aesthetic reasons: this is, without a doubt, a matter of health and balance, since obesity is seen as a true epidemic worldwide. What few people know, however, is that there may be a direct relationship between oral health and weight loss.
That's right! In order to be able to reduce numbers on the scale and achieve a much better quality of life, it is essential that you know very well the relationship between healthy teeth and weight loss.
Are you interested and would you like to know more about this subject? Keep reading and learn about the importance of keeping a very healthy mouth to get the body of your dreams!
What is obesity and what are its health risks?
Before we talk specifically about the relationship between oral health and weight loss, we need to explain what obesity is and what the main health risks are. After all, being a few pounds overweight does not always bring risks to the body, but obesity is a serious problem that needs to be taken into account.
According to data provided by the Ministry of Health, this disease, which can affect the entire body, affects about 1 in 5 Americans. These numbers keep growing and this has scared health professionals around the world.
It is defined by the BMI, or body mass index, a calculation made from the height and weight of patients. Other factors are also taken into account, such as body fat and laboratory test results. When diagnosed, an obese person may be at risk of developing problems such as:
increased blood pressure;
bone diseases;
increased blood cholesterol;
joint diseases;
diabetes;
heart problems;
stress and anxiety;
breathing problems.
First of all, we must understand that obesity is a disease and that, in most cases, it is linked to a series of issues that have nothing to do with a lack of care for the body.
Problems that can cause obesity include: hormonal changes, metabolic problems, depression, anxiety, among others. Therefore, it is impossible to judge that just extra care with exercise or food can treat this disease, which generates even more insecurity in these patients.
As we can see, being overweight affects all regions of the body. Therefore, healthy weight loss should be practiced by those who seek a healthier and more balanced life. For more information on weight loss, check out this article: https://besthealthprod.com/elementor-5909/
Relationship between oral health and weight loss
At first, it may seem impossible to establish a relationship between apparently so different processes. After all, weight loss consists of reducing the level of calories ingested and increasing caloric expenditure, while eating is nothing more than the act of eating.
However, a more careful reflection is enough to realize that what makes us lose weight is precisely to maintain a healthier diet.
From the mouth to the body
The food re-education process, essential for healthy weight loss, is the first factor we are going to analyze. The relationship here is in the consumption of less industrialized and sugary foods, which are directly responsible for the appearance of cavities and periodontitis, in addition to the increase in bacterial plaque.
When we opt for a diet with more natural foods and less sugar, we are consequently providing the necessary nutrients for our teeth to remain healthy, avoiding the main substances linked to their deterioration.
At this point, the relationship between oral health and weight loss becomes even more intertwined, as proper chewing is essential to ensure good nutrition. After all, soon in the masticatory process, many enzymes are released that act in the digestion and subsequent use of nutrients.
Another crucial point in the chewing process is the feeling of satiety, as chewing sends signals to the brain that indicate that we are satisfied. This avoids over-consumption of food and helps to reduce the calories ingested daily.
When we don't have all our teeth, we feel pain somewhere in our mouths or we have crooked teeth, chewing can be a little difficult. This makes meal times not so profitable and negatively impacts healthy weight loss.
From body to mouth
Now that we know how oral health impacts the weight loss process, how about we know the opposite direction? After all, being overweight (or the way we lose weight) can also cause problems for the mouth area.
A classic example is the bacterium Selenomonas noxia, which is present in much higher amounts in the mouths of overweight patients. It is directly responsible for problems such as dental erosion and gingivitis, which become recurrent.
In addition to all this, we can also mention the issue of anorexia and bulimia, illnesses that unfortunately are related to the pressure for the “perfect body” in our society. Such diseases are responsible for bringing negative effects to oral health.
One of the reasons for this, in addition to the lack of nutrients in the diet, is the constant presence of stomach acids in the oral cavity due to episodes of vomiting, which culminates in changes in the oral pH. Therefore, diseases linked to forced and careless weight loss are also related to oral health.
Did you see how it is possible to establish a consistent relationship between oral health and weight loss? The quality of care for our mouth goes hand in hand with a healthy and balanced body, much more resistant to the most varied diseases and capable of losing weight with much more quality and health.