A Vancouver Dentist of the Birch Dental Group has been practising the dental profession long enough to know that stress can also cause various oral health problems. Through the years, numerous studies arrived at conclusions that aside from practising good oral hygiene and periodically visiting the dentist, getting into yoga can also help.
Certain yoga poses promote blood circulation that regularly brings fresh supply of nutrients and oxygen to the gums. The findings have actually been useful in providing local communities with patient-focused solutions and in some sectors, high-end solutions to serious dental problems and conditions.
How Does Yoga Work in Keeping the Gums Healthy?
Yoga practitioners attest to the efficiency of yoga poses in encouraging blood to flow in the head and face. Moreover, some yoga breathing exercises help in strengthening the mouth and throat muscles. Generally, yoga can help prevent dryness in the mouth as well as reduce inflammations, which are critical in keeping the teeth and gums healthy.
Engaging in at least 20 minutes of yoga stretching and relaxation poses bring on more than just oral health benefits but overall wellness as well.
Positive Effects of Yoga on Physical Well Being
The positive effects of yoga on the body go beyond having healthy gums and teeth. Practising yoga can also bring on the following health benefits:
Yoga helps reduce the detrimental effects of stress.
Everyday, people struggle to deal with stress, which has detrimental effects not only on emotions but also on physical conditions. Stress can tighten muscles, which causes neck pain, headaches, clenched jaws and teeth-grinding during sleep a.k.a. bruxism.
The Academy of Dentistry explains that people may not even be aware that they are often clenching their jaws and/or grinding their teeth. These are unconscious movements that people are inclined to do when dealing with a lot of stress, especially if it is already affecting one’s state of mind.
While medication can help ease some of the stress tensions, certain yoga poses if regularly practiced, can help the body experience stress-relief and recovery from stress. If so, regular yoga practice helps alleviate if not eliminate the detrimental effects of bruxism.
Yoga helps reduce inflammations.
Inflammation is often the root cause of a wide range of health disorders; including inflammation of the gums that cause oral health diseases and tooth decay. When the body starts feeling pain caused by such disorders, the endocrine system releases a special hormone called cortisol to help mitigate the effects of stress. Regular yoga practice designed to promote the release of cortisol, even for a brief spell every day, can help a person cope with the stresses dealt with as part of one’s daily grind.