Crude jokes about oral health aside, you might not realize the profound impact your dental health has on your love life. Whether you’ve been married for decades or are jumping back into the dating game again, your teeth are important to maintaining an active and healthy love life – and the reasons why might surprise you.
Your Smile Is an Asset
Your romantic partner might admire your eyes, legs or other body parts, but don’t ever underestimate the power of your smile when it comes to the things your mate notices most. In fact, your smile is one of the first things a prospective partner notices, and if you’ve been in a relationship for a long time, it’s probably one of the things that your partner loves seeing the most.
A smile is a nonverbal way to convey you’re happy, having a good time, content and confident. When you’re self-conscious about your smile, your ability to outwardly show these emotions lessens, and that can add stress to your relationship. Book an appointment for a cleaning to get your teeth gleaming or speak to your dentist about a teeth-whitening treatment for a truly dazzling smile that’s sure to stun.
Bad Breath Is a Mood Killer
Thinking about the next smooch with your sweetheart? If you’ve got gnarly breath, they might not be daydreaming the same way about you. Nobody likes kissing someone with bad breath, and mints, gum, mouthwash or sprays will only temporarily lessen it. To truly slay bad breath, you’ve got to deal with the root cause of it, and that requires a trip to your dentist.
While good habits like brushing and flossing can help, regular dental cleanings get rid of the debris that gets missed and reduce the bacterial load that can contribute to bad breath. If you take good care of your teeth regularly, you might be shocked or embarrassed at the amount of plaque — and the smell — that gets removed during a routine cleaning.
If your breath is having a serious impact on your life — romantic or otherwise — talk to your dentist about tips to keep your mouth feeling fresh. You might, for example, need to chew sugarless gum to combat dry mouth or add tongue scraping to your daily routine to cut down on halitosis.
Pain and Problems Preventing Intimacy
The joke of “honey, I’m not in the mood, I have a headache,” may be a cliché, but there’s some truth in it. Nobody feels like cuddling or being intimate when they’re in pain, and your teeth can be a major source of woe. If you’re feeling less than loving because of mouth pain, your partner might even be left wondering what they’ve done to earn your ire.
Whether you’ve put off getting work done to fix broken or chipped teeth or are experiencing a flare-up of TMJ, causing your jaw to lock up, click or feel sore, poor dental health can put the kibosh on intimate activities with your partner. Booking an appointment with your dentist can help you figure out the best way to deal with the issues specific to your individual dental health.
Your Teeth Affect Your Fertility
The worry doesn’t end at a loss of intimacy because of pain. Because your oral health is heavily linked to your overall health — from your cardiovascular system to your fertility — it’s important to get in for regular cleanings and checkups to deal with any problems as soon as they start. If you and your partner are thinking of starting a family or adding to it, it’s especially important to make sure your teeth are in tip-top shape before trying to conceive. Because certain treatments and anesthetics are contraindicated during pregnancy, let your dentist know if you’re trying to add to your family or are currently expecting.
Make a Dental Health Date
While a trip to the dentist’s office might not sound like the most romantic date you can think of, the impact your teeth can have on your love life and relationship is undeniable. When you look and feel your best, you’re more confident, more attractive and more comfortable in your interactions with others. Whether you’re booking a solo appointment before your next big date or booking a double date with your significant other, a trip to the dentist can — in a roundabout way — keep the romance alive and well.
The offices of Drs. Krieger and Hur make cosmetic dentistry easy and convenient, often completing procedures the same day! When your smile needs perfecting, but your time is limited, give us a call at 201-560-0606 or email us here and we’ll get you fast-tracked back to eye-catching confidence.
We heard your selfies could be a lot better, so we wrote a “How to Take a Great Selfie” guide to help you show off our great handywork. It’ll be our little secret! You don’t have to tell anyone that your dentist helped you perfect those iconic social media images.
Just click here, enter your email and download the PDF. Nothing could be easier. While you’re at it, go ahead and sign up for our newsletter for more tips for keeping that smile white and bright.
