Taking care of your teeth requires more than brushing, flossing and regular dental visits. Understanding the risk factors that impact your dental health is also important.
Some risk factors are unavoidable, like aging, so it’s important to pay attention to your dental health as time goes on. You can reduce or cut other risk factors by adopting healthier lifestyle habits.
Any changes you make to lower the risks is a critical step towards a healthy smile.
Health Risk Factors
Overall health is connected to oral health, and vice versa. There are many risk factors that can arise as a result of physical and mental health conditions. Common health risk factors include:
Age
Mental health (e.g. stress)
Medications
Diabetes
Sleep apnea
Lifestyle Risk Factors
A healthy smile and a healthy lifestyle are often interconnected. Lifestyle risk factors include:
Smoking and vaping
Alcohol
Oral piercings
Diet
More on Oral Health Risk Factors
Learn more about the factors that put your oral health at risk, and how you can take steps to reduce their impact.
Aging
Diabetes
Stress and Anxiety
Eating Disorders
Oral Piercings
Prescription Drugs
Smoking, Vaping and Marijuana
Alcohol
Sleep Apnea
Information as per the ODA https://www.oda.ca/oral-health-basics/oral-health-risk-factors/