Oral Hygiene and Your Overall Health
Taking good care of your teeth and gums is the best way to keep your smile healthy and beautiful, but there are other benefits to maintaining ideal oral health.
When you clean your teeth and gums properly, you are clearing away harmful bacteria that can travel to other parts of your body and increase your risk of systemic disease.
Health Screenings at the Dentist?
Another important part of any effective dental health routine is seeing your dentist often. This allows them to check for certain signs that can signal an underlying illness.
When performing an oral exam, a comprehensive dentist also looks for signs of systemic illnesses that can first appear in the mouth. Your dentist may note any suspicious sores or lesions in soft tissue, as well as discolorations of the tongue, and discuss these with you.
Some conditions that are often seen first by a dentist include:
Stress – The wearing down of teeth is a sign of grinding which is often linked to stress.
Diabetes – Gum disease that resists treatment or progresses rapidly can indicate diabetes.
Skin Disease – Some skin conditions are replicated in the soft tissues of the mouth.
Gastrointestinal Disease – Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease may appear as mouth sores.
Oral Cancer – Certain suspicious lesions may be the first sign of oral cancer.
Heart and Lung Disease – In case of severe gum disease, the health of your heart and lungs should be considered, as there is a direct correlation between the bacteria that cause gum disease and an increased risk of cardiac and respiratory infection.
A Closer Look at Oral Bacteria
Poor oral hygiene can directly affect other parts of the body. Bacteria that originate in your mouth are especially potent and feed off carbohydrates and sugars that are not brushed and flossed away.
When these bacteria are allowed to accumulate because of a lack of dental hygiene, they can be inhaled, or absorbed into the body. It can then go on to affect other sites, most commonly the heart and lungs.
A Healthy Smile Leads to a Healthier Body
Having this knowledge makes caring for your teeth and gums even more important. Proper dental care, including regular visits to your dentist, should be regarded as one of the routine steps you take to ensure your total overall health.
If you are in need of a comprehensive and thorough dentist in Grand Forks, ND,
call Riverside Dental today.