Do you care about your oral health? You should not only because healthy teeth and gums mean a good smile. Modern scientific research provides evidence that your oral health is directly connected with your overall well-being. Thus, the relationship between oral and overall health is rather underlooked.
The Mouth-Body Connection
Doesn’t it always seem to you that when you go to a doctor for a regular checkup, he or she always asks to “open your mouth wide” and take a look in there? There is a very good reason for that – the mouth can be actually seen as the “window” from which an individual’s health can be assessed. Most systemic diseases and conditions often first appear in the mouth.
So the better your oral health is, the better is your overall health. Just a small example – having every problem with the gums can be the first sign that you have heart trouble. Or, for example, if you start to lose teeth before the age of 35, you are at risk of getting osteoporosis. Besides, saliva is something more than simply a food digest. It is an important agent of your body, serving as your best defense and helping your body to get rid of a variety of microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses.
Saliva traps these harmful agents and disables them. In other words, oral health and overall health of an individual are closely related to one another. And proper dental hygiene may better an individual’s overall health.
Magnolia Dental’s Wellness Approach
The guiding principle for the Magnolia Dental team is that whatever goes on in your mouth Impacts the rest of your body. The approach is holistic and comprehensive. The team preaches the idea of preventive dentistry at all times. Thus preventing dental diseases before they occur. It might be some cleaning practices or dietary advice that will keep your oral health in a good condition.
In case of extensive examination and treatment planning, any symptom length will be detected and thus prevented from contributing to severe health issues. In any case, the holistic approach to your oral health will only serve to increase your comfort in general.
Importance of Oral Hygiene
Brushing twice a day, flossing as often, is important for oral health, And visiting your dentist every 6 months is a simple set of rules everyone should keep. Keeping such routines would help to prevent risks of cavities or gum diseases. There is also a potential danger that such problems can extend all the way down to your blood vessels and cause health problems.
Inflammation of gums developed in case of gingivitis, which is a mild gum disease can operate all over your gum line and ruin it. Worse sorts of gum disease such as periodontitis are capable of damaging other surrounding bone tissue holding your teeth. The two worst diseases let harmful bacteria enter your bloodstream and cause other systemic problems.
Good oral hygiene is essential as it not only makes your smile bright and keeps your mouth fresh, it is also a barrier for all common diseases of the human body. As long as your teeth and gums are already considered healthy, you can take more control of your overall health.
Oral Bacteria and Diseases
Hundreds of bacterial species naturally reside in your mouth. While some of them are important because they aid in digestion , these bacteria inevitably cause tooth decay and gum disease when oral hygiene is poor. Some of these bacteria secrete toxins which can stimulate a response in the body involving chronic inflammatory, periodontal diseases resulting in damage to the gum tissue and bones providing support to teeth.
Periodontal diseases allow these bacteria to enter the bloodstream. This leads to other health conditions. When oral bacteria binds to the heart it can cause an infection called endocarditis. Therefore, maintaining balanced oral bacteria via good hygiene ensures a healthy dental and wellness state.
The Influence on Heart Health
One interesting finding is that there seems to be an interrelationship between a person’s periodontia and his heart. Some of the studies say that if you do have worsening conditions for an already diseased heart it’s because periodontal disease, which is regarded as one form among many into inflaming your gums (or soft tissue), becomes present in this new situation–i.e., towards cardiovascular disease. It works like this.
When the bacteria in your mouth, that get into the bloodstream through inflamed gums, become attracted to fatty plaques on a person’s coronary arteries, clots may form and so you are at risk of having a heart attack. That is to say, the heart may have problems as a result of infections in your mouth.
Therefore, it is not merely about the odours coming from one’s breath and dirty teeth but also much of your cardiac state is closely related to oral hygiene.
Impact on Respiratory Health
Breathing, and especially speaking via the voice, is not directly related to oral health. However, there is a connection. Poor dental cleaning can affect your breathing and respiratory health. When you breathe or speak, small particles from your mouth and throat get into your lungs with the air.
Trauma to the gums, cavities, and any untreated oral diseases can get this bacteria into your lungs, causing respiratory diseases such as pneumonia. In addition, if you already have a respiratory illness like COPD or asthma, bad oral health, especially tooth decay, may worsen your already existing respiratory problems.
Studies have found that people with periodontal respiratory problems have severe COPD. Some found that they have higher numbers of exacerbations. Therefore, when you maintain proper oral hygiene and ensure you make those dental visits, you not only have good respiratory but overall health.
Connections to Diabetes
The relationship between diabetes and oral health is a game of give and take. Diabetes can enhance the risk of an oral health problem and vice versa. Uncontrolled diabetes elevates the risk of periodontal disease. Diabetic people are susceptible to a bacterial infection and their bodies cannot resist if the bacteria affect their gums.
As such, gum diseases can also adversely affect the control of blood sugar levels in diabetic individuals. High blood sugar levels lead to an enabling environment where infections can flourish, mainly in the mouth. Nevertheless, good oral hygiene is linked with better management of diabetes.
Oral Health and Dementia
Poor oral health in the early stages of life could mean a greater risk of dementia later in life. This has been backed up by recent research. And, gum disease can make the brain more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.
Studies also suggest that tooth brushing can slow the progress of the condition in Alzheimer’s patients. This is because maintaining good oral hygiene reduces the risk of swallowing bacteria which enters the brain through blood and nerve channels.
Diet, Lifestyle and Oral Hygiene
Regular consumption of sugar-packed diets can contribute towards tooth decay. Drinking a lot of alcohol, smoking tobacco also aggravate periodontal diseases. Oral health is affected by these lifestyle choices which eventually reflect on overall wellness.
A healthy lifestyle comprising good dietary practice, regular physical activity along with daily oral hygiene like proper brushing-flossing routine greatly contributes to oral health thereby safeguarding overall well-being.
In Conclusion
It is necessary to stress that the connection between people’s mouths and health is extremely notable. You should understand that your oral health should not be underestimated, as it influences every sphere of people’s lives from heart and brain function to pregnancy and leading an active life. Subsequently, to live a healthy life, go to regular dental check-up
