There are plenty of good reasons to exercise on a regular basis. No doubt you’re already thinking of a few! Well, researchers at Colgate found another one: consistent activity can reduce your risk of gum disease and promote your gum health. According to their study, non-smokers who habitually exercise are 54% less likely to develop gum disease.
To learn how working out can keep this unpleasant oral condition away from your smile, keep reading.
Boosts Your Immune System
Exercise has a direct effect on your immune system (a.k.a. your body’s illness-fighting task force). It stimulates the production of your immune cells, which basically means you’ll have more cells available to combat infections. After a few minutes of running, jumping, climbing, etc., those cells will also be more active, improving how quickly and efficiently they can respond to threats like gum disease.
Reduces Inflammation
Though inflammation is part of your body’s natural immune response, too much inflammation over an extended period of time can actually weaken your defenses. Exercise, however, reduces inflammation by decreasing fatty mass and increasing anti-inflammatory cell production. If you tend to experience chronic inflammation, boosting your activity levels could help keep your gums from swelling and becoming agitated.
Improves Circulation
When your blood struggles to circulate, it’s harder for your immune cells to “patrol” for harmful bacteria and respond effectively to illness. Fortunately, a good workout can help with this, too! Once your blood flow improves, important immune cells, vitamins, and minerals will reach the various parts of your body (including your gums!) much more easily.
Exercise Suggestions
Physical activity isn’t everyone’s favorite pastime – which is totally understandable! Your body is unique, so some exercises might be more comfortable for you than others, and let’s be honest. Sometimes it’s hard to work up the motivation to get up and move. Here are some activity suggestions that can help you get started or even become a permanent part of your wellness routine:
- A short, 10-minute walk
- Slow, gentle stretching or yoga
- Dancing to your favorite tunes
- Low-impact water aerobics
- Simple calf raises
Remember, a little bit of activity is better than none, so don’t feel discouraged if your efforts don’t quite meet your expectations. Even when an office chair twist is all you can manage for the day, you’ve taken a step to help your immune system and prevent gum disease!
About the Practice
At Westgate Dental Care, our dentists are dedicated to providing you with quality treatment, as well as professional advice for taking care of your smile. If you’re worried about gum disease, our team would be happy to give you more prevention tips. We also offer periodontal therapy, so if you have an active case of gum disease, we can help you with that too. To contact our office for an appointment, call 847-577-7171.