Dental services aren’t limited to discussions of tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental issues. In addition to potential problems with your teeth and gums, they also focus on other aspects of living a healthy lifestyle that all work in conjunction to keep not only your dental health going strong but your entire well-being. Many people don’t give a lot of thought as to how dental health affects overall health, so we’re going to look at some important details that you should know.
Dangers of Bacteria in Your Mouth
Try not to get too grossed out, but it’s true – your mouth is filled with bacteria at this very moment. That’s okay, though, because the bacteria is often harmless. However, if you don’t take care of your teeth and gums with proper dental hygiene, bacteria can get out of control and reach levels that can cause oral infections like tooth decay and gum disease. Unfortunately, this can also severely worsen existing diseases and other health conditions.
Effects on Diseases and Conditions
When you’re looking at how dental health affects overall health, a big part of the discussion is the somewhat long list of diseases and conditions that can be caused or worsened when you don’t take care of your teeth and gums, in addition to some conditions that can cause harm to your oral health. Here is a quick overview of several health problems that make oral health even more important:
- Endocarditis — Caused by bacteria and germs coming from your mouth and other parts of your body, this is an infection of your heart chambers’ inner lining.
- Heart Disease — Cardiovascular disease is very common and can be caused by bacteria that finds its way from your mouth to your heart in the same way as endocarditis.
- Pregnancy Issues — Believe it or not, but periodontal disease is a known factor for premature births and a low birth weight.
- Pneumonia — If certain types of bacteria get pulled into your lungs, this can cause pneumonia and other respiratory problems.
- Diabetes — A person with diabetes has a harder time fighting off infections, making gum disease quite common for those who don’t practice good dental hygiene.
- HIV/AIDS — A person suffering from HIV/AIDS can have a myriad of oral issues caused by bacteria, including painful mucosal lesions.
- Osteoporosis — Although bacteria won’t worsen osteoporosis, some of the medications used to treat it can weaken your jaw bones.
- Alzheimer’s — As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, a person’s oral health will degrade.
Easy Ways to Protect Dental Health
Once you understand how dental health affects overall health, it becomes even more important to conduct an oral health regimen. If you want to avoid tooth decay, periodontal disease, and other health issues, it’s important that you practice good oral hygiene. In addition to regular visits at a dental office follow these simple strategies:
- Brush and floss twice daily
- Use mouthwash daily
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet
- Decrease sugar intake
- Don’t use tobacco
Contact Dr. Ferullo Will Show You How Dental Health Affects Overall Health
Dr. Ferullo uses the most advanced dental technology and techniques to ensure good oral health to all his patients. If you have any questions or would like to learn about our free teeth whitening offer, visit our website or call us at (727) 822-8101 today.
