Here at Lake Baldwin Dental, we like to educate our patients on all the ways great oral health can boost whole-body health. The links between gum disease and other systemic disease are well established, and we know oral pathogens can be hard on your heart.
But can bad teeth lead to other kinds of heartbreak? According to a recent survey of almost two thousand people*, it looks like the answer is a resounding yes.
Poor Oral Health Can Impact Social Wellbeing
Seventy-seven percent (77%) of respondents reported that dental disease negatively impacted their social skills. The main three types of relationships affected by oral health problems were romantic relationships (40%), professional relationships (34%), and friendships (32%).
In our own practice, we have seen first-hand just how important good oral health can be for everything from dating to landing a good job. Patients with smiles showing missing or broken teeth, cavities, or diseased gums often tell us how much their smile hurts their prospects. Not only do these problems seriously damage confidence, but they may also diminish others’ perceptions of an individual’s intelligence or trustworthiness. It’s unfair, but it’s a fact: your smile matters in the way others see you. There is no better moment for our team than when a patient comes in to tell us how fixing their teeth has improved their life.
Want a Better Relationship? Take Care of Those Teeth!
It may not come as a surprise that romantic relationships showed the most impact from oral health status. This survey asked respondents to evaluate their current relationships. Fifty-five percent (55%) of people with excellent oral health reported being very satisfied with their romantic relationships, but only thirty-seven percent (37%) of those with poor oral health did. That’s an 18-point swing!
Past research showed that most people report a good smile as one of the main factors in finding a potential partner attractive. Issues like bad breath and gum disease can be a complete disqualification for some singles in the dating pool. Not only is bad breath unpleasant, but all of these issues give a quick subconscious signal of a person’s overall health, which may turn potential mates away.
Can’t Get No Satisfaction?
Even for those who have gotten comfy in a long-term relationship, don’t rest on your molars just yet. Letting oral health slide can seriously damage satisfaction and diminish your sex life.
Poor oral health can interrupt those intimate moments! Thirty-one percent (31%) of respondents stated that oral health issues have forced them to stop what they were doing in a moment of passion. Leading reasons? Injuries to the lip or mouth (such as sores), bleeding, and broken teeth. Not to mention dentures and fillings falling out.
On the other hand, respondents reported that good oral health leads to more sex, more kissing, and better intimacy overall. Good oral health also helped partners feel more attractive and boosted their overall satisfaction with their relationship.
This year, many of us have spent more time in extremely close contact with our loved ones than ever before. But that isn’t necessarily making our relationships any easier. While a killer smile may not solve all your relationship woes, it certainly can’t hurt. Stabilizing and maintaining your oral health care can make those sweet moments that much sweeter. We’re here to help you get the most out of your smiles, Orlando!
*See the original survey write-up here!
