What Benefits Does Oral Health Give To Overall Health?

This might come as a shocker to you, but do you know there is a connection between your oral health and your overall health and well being?

Yes, having good oral habits and oral health is of great benefit not just to your oral cavity but to your general health status. Asides from ensuring that your teeth and gums are kept healthy, good oral health also improves your quality of life.

Recently, different studies have shown a link between poor oral health and some disease conditions.

Your oral health and how it affects your overall health status

Problems arising from your oral cavity can affect the rest of your body. Thus, it is important that you learn and understand the connection between your oral health and your overall health.

Your mouth forms the entry point of your respiratory and digestive tract and inhabits numerous bacteria, mostly harmless. However, some of the oral bacteria can causes diseases when introduced into the bloodstream.

Normally with good oral health and the body’s natural defense mechanism, the bacteria are  kept under control, and you are protected. However, when you fail to adopt proper oral hygiene, bacteria levels in the oral cavity could get to the point where they lead to oral infections such as gum diseases.

Some studies have shown that there might be a link between oral bacteria or periodontitis (a severe gum disease) and some health diseases such as cardiovascular disease, pregnancy complications, pneumonia, and endocarditis.

How oral health can affect your heart

If you have gum disease, you are twice as likely to develop heart disease than people who don’t (according to an article on dentalhealth.org).

It is suggested that bacteria from the mouth of someone with gum disease can make its way into the bloodstream. The bacteria, once in the bloodstream, produces a protein that can cause the clumping of blood platelets, forming blood clots. These clots travel through the blood vessels and can get lodged in the vessels of the heart, ultimately reducing blood flow to the heart and increasing the risk of a heart attack.

How bad oral health can cause pregnancy complications

Expectant mothers with gum disease are over three times more likely to give birth to premature babies.

It has been suggested that gum disease might increase the levels of chemicals that induce labor. This means such women have a higher risk of giving birth before 35 weeks.

How oral health can cause pneumonia

Remember, people with gum disease are already exposed to bacteria in their mouths. Droplets from the mouth and throat can be breathed into the lungs, which can, in turn, lead to infections such as pneumonia.

What are the benefits of good oral hygiene to your general well being?

With our discussion so far, you can see that maintaining good oral health can help prevent certain health conditions that could have been caused or worsened by poor oral health.

Such conditions include:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Pregnancy complications
• Diabetes
• Lung or respiratory disease

Conclusion

Knowing that you reap many health benefits when you take care of teeth and oral cavity, don’t you think it will be wise to invest more in your oral health?

You should look out for signs like bad breath, loose teeth, gum inflammations, and mouth infections. Our dental team is always ready to attend to your dental needs.

References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/dental/art-20047475

https://dentistry.uic.edu/patients/oral-health-well-being

https://www.dentalhealth.org/oral-health-and-general-wellbeing