How Dental Health and Your Overall Health Co-Relate

Modern research has proven your dental health has an impact on your overall health. Poor dental health ultimately results in poor overall health. It is, therefore, crucial to ensure your oral health is optimal to avoid developing more severe complications. This can be made possible by visiting a dental hygienist. These specialists perform check-ups and examinations to detect dental diseases and offer preventive care.

Relationship between Oral Health and Overall Health

Biologists have discovered our mouth and other body organs cohabitate with bacteria. While the body is equipped to fight off these bacteria, poor hygiene allows the bacteria to multiply and consequently cause an infection. The mouth acts as an access point for the respiratory and digestive systems.

Therefore, if bacteria are left to grow to alarming levels in your mouth, the rest of your body organs are at risk of infection since the bacteria in your oral cavity will spread to these areas.

Health Conditions Associated With Poor Dental Health

If left untreated, dental complications may develop into serious health problems. You should seek professional care at the onset of any complications from a dental hygienist near you. Some health conditions known to be a result of untreated dental diseases include:

• Cardiovascular disease

Research suggests that stroke, heart disease, and clogged arteries may arise following infections and inflammation caused by oral bacteria. However, this relationship is yet to be fully understood by scholars.

• Pneumonia

When bacteria in your mouth spreads to your respiratory organs, they infect these vital organs causing pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.

• Endocarditis

Endocardium refers to the inner lining of the heart’s valves or chambers. Bacteria found in your mouth may spread to your bloodstream. The contaminated blood flows to the heart, and these bacteria attach to the endocardium, causing endocarditis.

• Pregnancy complications

Studies conducted proved periodontitis (Gum) disease has a direct link with low birth weight premature births.

Medical Conditions That Can Affect Your Oral Health

Certain diseases may have a negative toll on your oral health. In general, these diseases negatively affect your immune system. Your body is left weak and prone to diseases. Examples of these diseases are:

• HIV/AIDs

Perhaps the most prevalent disease known to attack your immune system is HIV/AIDs. It is common for people infected with HIV/AIDs to experience dental complications like painful mucosal lesions.

• Alzheimer’s disease

For patients with this disease, poor dental health is common when Alzheimer’s disease becomes more severe.

• Diabetes

Diabetes lowers your body’s capacity to fight off infections, posing the risk of contracting gum disease. Periodontal disease is prevalent and more severe among people with diabetes.

• Osteoporosis

This disease weakens your bones. The condition causes tooth and periodontal bone loss. There are drugs used to treat osteoporosis that causes damage to the jawbone.

There is a connection between dental health and overall health. Other health conditions associated with dental health include:

• Certain cancers, like throat cancer
• Eating disorders
• Sjogren’s syndrome
• Rheumatoid disease

How to Maintain Your Oral Health

To have exceptional oral health, you need to ensure you maintain oral hygiene. In addition to visiting a dentist near you, adhere to the following practices for optimal oral hygiene:

• Floss daily to clean out food particles hiding in between your teeth.
• Use fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.
• Eat a healthy diet. Avoid sugary foods.
• Another practice is you should brush your teeth at least twice daily, preferably after meals. Brushing your teeth every day gets rid of the plaque, which forms on the surface of your teeth. The plaque contains bacteria that secrete acidic waste. This acidic waste erodes the tooth enamel creating a cavity.
• After brushing and flossing your teeth, clean out the food particles left behind using a mouthwash.
• Make regular visits to your dentist in The Colony, TX, for check-up and cleaning
• Avoid the use of tobacco
• After 3 to 4 months, replace your toothbrush with a new one. You should replace it sooner in case your toothbrush has worn or splayed bristles.

Benefits of Good Dental Hygiene

The following are some of the benefits of good oral hygiene:

• You enjoy healthier gums
• Maintaining proper dental hygiene saves you the time and costs associated with dental procedures
• Good oral hygiene lowers the risk of tooth decay
• Similarly, you are less likely to experience tooth sensitivity with proper dental hygiene
• You feel more confident talking with people since you have fresh breath
• For expectant mothers, maintaining oral hygiene means a healthier pregnancy

In conclusion, your oral health is an essential part of your overall health. It is crucial to seek professional dental care when you begin to experience oral discomfort. At Main Dentistry, we offer the best dental services in The Colony, TX. Our dental hygienist near you offers dental examinations and preventative dental procedures for proper oral health. Visit our offices today to learn more.