Get Pumped: June is National Men’s Health Month

June is a great month isn’t it? The birds are singing, the sun is shining, we get to celebrate National Repeat Day, we get to celebrate National Repeat Day, and all is well in the world. Studies show that feeling positive improves your chances of of having good health behaviors stick, so let’s use June’s overall splendor to our advantage, shall we?

While there are a myriad of health topics we could cover related to men’s health, we are going to focus on the health of your mouth. There are three main oral health concerns that apply to men more than women:

1. Oral Cancer: Men have a higher incidence of oral cancer than women. Two major causes of oral cancer are alcohol and tobacco.
2. Oral Hygiene: Men are less likely than women to take care of their mouth through daily hygiene and preventative dentist visits. Men are also more likely to develop gum disease.
3. Systemic Problems: Sometimes other issues in the body can affect the health of your mouth. For instance, medications for your heart or blood pressure can cause dry mouth, which increases the risk for cavities and gum disease. There is also some evidence that oral health is related to prostate health and cancer.

None of this is here to scare you, but rather to let you know how important it is that you treat your body right. But again, you don’t have to be perfect. Rather…

Choose One Thing

You know your body a lot better than we do. So this is what we suggest – you might already have that nagging feeling that you need to make a change. If you’ve ever stared down your floss with an inner turmoil about whether to actually pick it up, you know that feeling. Now, go with that gut feeling and change just ONE thing. That one thing you choose can make a big difference over time. Not only that, but it may spur you on to choosing more things to change.

Here are some ideas:

• Have a drink every other night
• Go for a walk
• Eat more veggies
• Start flossing
• Actually brush your teeth for 2 minutes 2x per day (we’re all guilty of spending less time than we should)
• Go see your doctor for a checkup
• Get your teeth cleaned by your dentist
• Skip dessert
• Laugh more
• Sleep more

Man up, men. And, stay healthy.