The Link Between Oral Health and Overall Wellness: What Your Mouth Says About Your Health

By Your Health Magazine

Your Health Magazine

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The Link Between Oral Health and Overall Wellness: What Your Mouth Says About Your Health

At first glance, brushing our teeth twice a day and flossing daily are key steps toward maintaining oral health, yet many remain unaware that oral wellness has an indirect link with other aspects of wellness.

Gum Disease

Gum disease can be diagnosed when red, swollen gums appear, causing them to recede and eventually lose teeth if left untreated. Furthermore, gum disease has been linked with other health issues including cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack or pneumonia and even pregnancy complications and children’s wellbeing.

Researchers have discovered a connection between gum disease and heart disease as well as diabetes or respiratory illnesses like pneumonia being related to gum disease – though no causal links have yet been made public by researchers. The mouth is home to millions of bacteria, most of them harmless but some posing a significant health threat. When inflammation strikes gums, bacteria can enter the bloodstream and damage the inner heart lining causing stroke or heart attack.

Additionally, they can travel into lungs where they cause infections that lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (which you can learn about here) alongside things like bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Studies have also established a correlation between gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis – an autoimmune disease – and specific bacteria linked with gum disease being present in joints of those living with the condition.

Tooth Decay

The mouth is often described as the “window to the body.” In this way, its health can provide clues as to someone’s overall well-being. Therefore, all individuals should prioritize proper oral hygiene practices and visit their dentist regularly – particularly children as poor dental health poses serious risk factors later in life.

Tooth decay is one of the most widespread oral health concerns, caused by plaque buildup on teeth that ultimately wear away their outer layer, leaving holes or cavities behind. If left unchecked, tooth decay can even progress into gum disease resulting in bone loss in the jawbone and other parts of the mouth. But with proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits it can easily be avoided! Tooth decay is preventable.

Oral health problems have also been linked with nutritional deficiencies, as poor teeth and gums make chewing food difficult or impossible, leading people to consume fewer foods that provide them with necessary nutrition and, consequently, taking in less nourishment overall.

Bad Breath

Bad breath results from bacteria coating teeth, gums and tongue. Food particles may linger after meals and leave unpleasant odors behind, while poor dental hygiene contributes to bad breath by allowing odor-causing bacteria to gather between and around teeth and on tongue. Cigarettes or chewing tobacco-based products may also contribute to this condition by staining and irritating gums which eventually leads to periodontal (gum) disease and resultant bad odors.

Poor diet can contribute to bad breath by encouraging bacterial growth that feeds off sugars found in our food, exacerbating gum disease. Eating garlic and onions, consuming too much alcohol or not brushing regularly are all known culprits; using deodorizing sprays or tablets that temporarily mask bad odors only serves to temporarily relieve them – they don’t address their source!

If a dentist determines oral issues are not the source of a person’s bad breath, they may suggest changing diet or using an over-the-counter product designed to stimulate saliva flow and freshen your mouth. Contact the pros at Farnham Dentistry for their professional opinion. You never want to leave it go, untreated – so use the info below:

Farnham Dentistry

11528 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32223

(904) 262-2551

People suffering from chronic bad breath that does not respond to changes in diet or the use of over-the-counter halitosis remedies should consult an oral medicine specialist for diagnosis and treatment of various mucosal diseases, salivary gland disorders, orofacial pain conditions, complications associated with systemic disease as well as effects of medical therapies on the mouth. These specialists are specifically trained in diagnosing and treating such issues.

Dry Mouth

The mouth is home to millions of bacteria that, while mostly harmless in small doses, is kept under control by our natural defense system. But dry mouth (xerostomia) provides the ideal environment for these harmful microbes to flourish and increase risk factors like gum disease, tooth decay, chronic bad breath and other serious health concerns.

Saliva performs several important roles for oral health: it rinses away food particles and acids after meals to protect against plaque buildup and tooth decay, helps digest foods more easily, and contains antibodies which fight bacteria that reduce infection risks. Unfortunately, many people suffer from dry mouth due to medication, natural aging processes, medical conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome or lifestyle choices such as smoking or taking excessive alcohol and caffeine intake.

As saliva production declines, our bodies’ defense mechanisms become less capable of fighting harmful bacteria that enter our bloodstream and spread throughout the body – including to the heart. Endocarditis occurs when bacteria invade the heart and attach themselves to specific valves or arteries inflicting thickening and stiffening, potentially leading to cardiac arrest or stroke..