“It’s great to have a nice smile, but did you know that there are other reasons to take good care of your teeth and gums? Good oral health is necessary to avoid the pain of cavities and infections that can result from poor care of your mouth. Oral pain, missing teeth and infections can affect the way a person speaks, eats and socializes. These problems can reduce a person’s quality of life. But, if that isn’t enough to convince you of the importance of good oral health, research has shown an association between oral disease and other health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, respiratory diseases as well as pre-term and low-birth weight babies.