Humans are social animals. We love to be around each other, and we especially love being around someone special who loves us more than anyone else. If you want to get and maintain that kind of relationship, then it’s time to start stepping up your oral hygiene routine.

A Great Smile Is a Great Start

A recent survey of men and women by the dating site Match.com showed that a great smile is the single most important factor for both men and women choosing potential partners.

Just how important was it? 71% of women and 58% of men said that a great smile was important to them in picking their partner. If you want to meet someone special, there’s no better place to start than by improving your smile. Keeping your teeth clean will help you avoid unattractive tartar and tooth decay, and cosmetic dentistry can help if your smile is already damaged.

Don’t Let Bad Breath Be a Barrier

You can flash someone a smile from across the bar, but when they get up close, you’re going to talk to them, and that means exhaling in their direction. If you have bad breath, that’s going to be a major turn-off.

But bad breath can also be a problem in long-term relationships, too. Bad breath can make it hard for either partner to initiate or reciprocate intimate gestures like kissing or even just being close.

Bad breath is caused by parasitic bacteria in the mouth that breathe sulfur instead of oxygen, which can build up below the gum line as part of gum disease. Good oral hygiene can prevent these bacteria from taking hold in your mouth and knock them out if they have already gotten hold.

Sexual Dysfunction Due to Poor Oral Hygiene

Bad breath is not the only obstacle to intimacy that can be caused by poor oral hygiene. Men with gum disease may be twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, especially young men (age 40 and below).

Your dentist can help treat gum disease, which may reverse the effects, although not enough study has been done on this, yet.

Pregnancy Complications and Gum Disease

If you are able to have good intimacy and are thinking about having a baby, gum disease can put yet another obstacle in  your way. Gum disease is often associated with pregnancy complications, including premature birth and low birth weight.

Better oral health before pregnancy can help to maintain oral health during pregnancy, leading to a healthier baby.

A Healthy Mouth Means a Healthy Relationship

So if you’re looking for a great relationship, one place to start is by paying more attention to your oral hygiene. We can help with routine checkups and cleanings. We can also help if you find it’s too late for prevention and you need a tooth repaired with tooth-colored fillings or replaced with a dental implant.

To learn more about how a Columbia, SC dentist can help you, please call (803) 781-9090 today for an appointment at Smile Columbia Dentistry.