Dust can damage your personal belongings, like your technology, furniture, and books. These are topics we have already covered in our blog, which got us thinking, “How can dust damage the human body? What does dust do to our respiratory health?” Those who give sufficient attention to their health know how important it is to treat your body right and to live in optimal conditions. The Dust Bender is great for improving your health and alleviating allergies due to its ability to clear dust from the area. This month, we will dive into how dust can affect your overall health when not properly cleared away (even if you don’t have dust mite allergies).

Taking Care of Your Respiratory Health

Taking care of your respiratory health is just as important as, and possibly even easier than, maintaining good dental health (for example). The lungs are naturally very sensitive, but with the right precautions many of the health issues associated with the lungs can be prevented. The tissue that your lungs are made of is very spongey and porous (obviously, as this is where you breathe and let oxygen into your body). This means that your lungs can absorb other toxins through the air, not just the oxygen your body needs.

One of the best things you can do to prevent respiratory health issues is to make sure you are safe from harmful dust particles. We go into more details of the effects of dust on the lungs in the section below! We have compiled for you a list of doctor recommended health precautions tailored specifically towards respiratory health. Before we discuss dust, let's look at some of the top recommended health tips for improving/maintaining respiratory health:

• Don’t Smoke: Cigarette smoke is the leading cause for lung and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Avoid Exposure to Indoor and Outdoor Pollutants: All pollutants are bad for respiratory health but some things to watch out for are mold and chemicals (to name a few) and strenuous activity outside where the air quality is bad. Be sure to maintain healthy, safe air inside your home.
• Get Regular Check-Ups: Even though you might be feeling great, it is a good idea to regularly meet with your doctor in order to maintain good health. Ask your doctor how often you should visit them for checkups.

Dust & Your Respiratory Health

When many of us think about respiratory health, we jump to the negative effects of bad air quality and pollution. Many of you might be thinking, “I live far from a city so there is no way I am being affected by bad air quality.” First of all, this isn’t true. Poor air quality is an issue even if you don’t live near a big city and it’s often most poor inside your home. Dust adds to the pollutant issue inside your home. Luckily, your body was built with a natural defense against respiratory pollutants!

Even though your body has health defenses, it can’t protect you from everything. The health effects related to dust are dependent on the size of the dust particles. As we’ve discussed in recent blogs, dust can contain microscopic solids that, if small enough, can slip by your body's defense and cause major respiratory issues, like tissue scarring and prolonged inflammation. Dust particles that are smaller than 2.5 micrometers (or 2.5 PM) can have the biggest effect due to its ability to get deep into your lungs and even your blood stream.

For those who suffer from dust mite allergies (and perhaps even if you don’t!) dust can cause coughing, sneezing, throat irritation, lung swelling, and infections. Dust can contain several microscopic particles that can hurt your nose, throat, and lungs. If left untreated or ignored, the damages of dust can exacerbate even further and damage your body. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any issues.

Conclusion

With all these health negatives, we at Dust Bender recommend that you vacuum/dust high trafficked areas in your house or business on a consistent basis. To protect yourself, make sure you wear a mask and have protective eyewear when cleaning. Wearing these will give your eyes and nose a barrier between you and the dust, preventing more dust from entering your body. By completely removing harmful dust particles you are creating a safer environment for everyone. Don’t wait to defend your health, purchase your Dust Bender today!