Brushing and flossing your teeth may save you extra sessions in the dentist’s chair each year, but the benefits of dental hygiene do not end with pearly whites. In fact, there’s a direct correlation between oral hygiene and overall health. Oral health offers clues about overall health, advises the Mayo Clinic. When a dentist or hygienist checks a person’s mouth, he or she is getting a window into that person’s overall wellness — including if something is amiss.