Oral Health and Yoga : Connection Kya Hai?

Yoga is all about increasing the Oxygen to your body; increased Oxygen can beat harm caused by abnoxicious chemicals to body- detoxification.  Not only Oxygen improves metabolism and physical strength but benefit of Yoga lies deep down with upliftment of a person on spiritual level by gaining mental  strength. Yoga is food to soul which is  therapeutic elixir to body.

Benefits of yoga to maintain overall well-being are well known facts. However, Yoga can improve your  dental health too? Are you serious, you must be joking , right? Interconnection is often not well acknowledged, but truth is that oral tissues are vital like any other organ of body, they breathe and require nutrition too, exhibit phenomenon of growth, multiplication, waste excretion and death.

Yoga Reduces Stress

Stressful lifestyle is a common cause of health problems including oral health problems. Studies have linked Stress as precipitating and contributing  factor to teeth grinding (bruxism), gum diseases, dry mouth (Xerostomia) and canker sores (mouth ulcers) and may also. Negligence of oral hygiene regime and proper diet can increase your risk of tooth decay.

Yoga acts as stress buster remedy. Yoga can help reduce risk factors for chronic diseases associated with stress such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Yoga might also be  helpful to alleviate chronic conditions, such as depression, pain, anxiety and insomnia.

Yoga Improves Posture and Reduce Jaw Pain

Yoga encourages a good posture. A large portion of the postures require you to keep your shoulders back and chest broad, which opens the lungs and allows you to breathe easily.

Incorrect posture can lead to straining, looseness and soreness of muscles, easy fatigue of body and abnormal curving of spine. Thus, maintaining a correct posture is very important.

Studies have found association of incorrect posture  with worsening of depression and stress, digestive problems, breathing issues, tension headache and pain in back, neck and shoulder muscles

Incorrect posture has been liked to Temporomandibular joint disorder which is a group of disorders associated with the temporomandibular joint- joint between lower jaw and skull in front of ear.The movement in this joint lets you to do every movement of your mouth- opening ,closing and chewing.

Poor posture places the spine in a position that causes stress to the jaw joint. Misaligned spine will cause the lower jaw to shift forward and create a bad bite as the upper and lower teeth to not fit together properly. This can make your TMJ to function  improperly and can cause stress and pain in the surrounding tissues, including the muscles and nerves of the face, head, and neck.

Yoga Stimulates Saliva Production

Adequate quantity and quality of saliva is essential to maintain health of oral tissues. Saliva has function of lubrication, digestion, defense, excretion of harmful substances. Individuals with low amounts of saliva production (Xerostomia), risk of caries and gum diseases increased manyfold as dry mouth forms a perfect niche where bacteria can thrive.

Yoga Eases Inflammation

Hormone cortisol is produced in body in stressed out conditions which also increases your risk for gum disease. Because yoga is a proven stress reliever, researchers believe this reduces inflammation in the body—including in teeth and gums. Researchers believe that yoga helps reduce inflammation in the body by alleviating stress.