Many people don’t realise that there are massive connections between your oral health and overall health and that your mouth can offer clues to other areas of your body’s health. Learning and understanding these connections can offer you protective knowledge to your health in life.
Where Does The Connection Lie?
Bacteria live all over your body and for the most part it’s completely harmless. Your mouth is in the main entrance to your digestive and respiratory tract and of course some bacteria can cause the body harm. In the majority of cases if you are maintaining good oral health through good brushing and flossing then you can keep bacteria under control and in good health. However, if bacteria aren’t looked after correctly then these can cause oral infections, decay and gum disease.
There have been some studies that support the theory that some oral bacteria that are caused and are associated with inflammatory disease such as gum disease can actually play a part in more severe diseases and can cause the body’s resistance to infection to be lower.
What conditions are linked to oral health?
Poor oral health can be associated to the following diseases:
PNEUMONIA: Bad bacteria in your mouth can be inhaled down into your lungs.
PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS: Periodontitis (gum disease) has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES: There is some research that supports the claim that blocked arteries could be linked to the type of inflammation and infection caused by bad oral bacterias.
Conditions That Can Affect Your Oral Health
OSTEOPOROSIS: As this condition is linked with bone loss there could be a chance it will effect the bone in the jaw.
DIABETES: As diabetes reduces the body’s ability to repel infection naturally there is evidence to support gum disease occurs more frequently in the people it affects. And in turn there are also reports that say people who have gum disease struggle to control their blood sugar levels more too.
EATING DISORDERS: Eating disorders can affect tooth health in differing ways depending on which disorder the patient is suffering from. For people suffering from Bulimia the acid will attack the tooth’s enamel and strip down the tooth.
Protecting Your Oral Health
The most important thing you should begin doing is maintaining good oral hygiene. This includes brushing twice daily and flossing. You should be attending regular checkups with your dentist in St John’s Wood to keep on top of any problems that could be developing. Your dentist in St John’s Wood will also be able to offer support and guidance on how best to manage the impact any current medical conditions could be affecting your oral health.
If any oral health issues are identified, your dentist will be able to work with you on creating a unique treatment plan to tackle these problems. Your dentist is specially trained to work on decayed teeth, gum disease or alignment issues. They will also be able to advise you if they believe a hygienist could be helpful to your case.
