Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the strongest foundations that a healthy life is based on. Surprisingly, your oral health has a lot to do with it. In fact, there are plenty of ways to take care of your oral health in such a way that they translate into maintaining a healthy weight. As part of Healthy Weight Week, here are some of the most prominent reasons to take care of your weight and see that it stays within prescribed limits.

The connection

The most obvious connection between good oral health and a healthy lifestyle is that those who take care of their teeth take care of their body too. Those who can stick to the practices and routines that enable a healthy life know the importance of dental hygiene as well.

Apart from an active lifestyle, what you eat affects every part of you. Food that is good for your teeth is good for your body, so healthy eating habits ensure healthy teeth and lead to healthy body weight. Whole-grain foods, generous servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and lean meat do your teeth a whole lot of good and keep your weight in check. Foods with excess amounts of fat and sugar are not only culprits on the weight front, but also on the dental health front.

A few more connections

Brushing your teeth makes you eat less. Don’t believe it? Have you tried eating or drinking something right after brushing your teeth? It doesn’t taste great, does it? Well, brushing your teeth also tells your brain that the eating shift is over – something that helps in keeping those midnight cravings in check.

If you’re counting calories to create weight loss, the physical act of brushing your teeth helps you lose a little weight. Brush your teeth two times a day for a couple of minutes each time and you’ll burn 5.7 calories each time, but it adds up to 4,000+ calories a year!

During Healthy Weight Week, we encourage you to practice a healthy lifestyle without neglecting to take care of your dental health!