What do the most fulfilled Americans have in common?

No it is not money, or fame. It is going to the dentist according to a research director from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. I agree that this is an unintuitive characteristic and a visit to the dentist will, of course, not fix all of your problems, but places where people have good dental health also tend to be places where they report being generally fulfilled.

“It’s a surrogate for it,” Witters said. “People who take good care of their teeth generally think they have higher well-being lives.”

I am so happy to see this. Proper oral care can keep you smiling well into retirement. Let's face it, regular dentist visits can do more than keep your smile attractive – they can tell a lot about your overall health, including whether or not you may be developing a disease like diabetes.

New research suggests that the health of your mouth mirrors the condition of your body as a whole. For example, when your mouth is healthy, chances are your overall health is good, too. On the other hand, if you have poor oral health, you may have other health problems. Research also shows that good oral health may actually prevent certain diseases from occurring. You are not hearing this for the first time if you have spent any time in my office.

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, there is a relationship between gum (periodontal) disease and health complications such as a stroke and heart disease. Women with gum disease also show higher incidences of pre-term, low birth-weight babies.

Other research shows that more than 90 percent of all systemic diseases (diseases involving many organs or the whole body) have oral manifestations, including swollen gums, mouth ulcers, dry mouth and excessive gum problems. Such diseases include; Diabetes, Leukemia, Oral cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Heart disease and Kidney disease. So be sure to stay on track with your dental office visits!

You can read more about these fulfilled Americans here