You may find it interesting that there is a deeper
connection between oral and overall health. Good and bad oral health can affect
overall health in the same way and vice versa. It means that you need to learn
about this connection if you want to better protect your oral and overall
health.
So, what’s the connection?
The human mouth is normally filled with bacteria. Most of
those bacteria are harmless. Moreover, the bacterial balance remains in good
shape when you take good care of your oral health and hygiene. Nevertheless,
you can end up having a lot of oral and dental health problems when you do not
take good care of your oral and dental health. The infections like cavities and
gum disease can occur as a consequence.
If you are on medications, you need to know that certain
medicines (such as painkillers, antihistamines, decongestants, diuretics and
antidepressants) can cause reduction in the production of saliva. It would be
worth mentioning here that saliva is quite important for proper washing away of
harmful bacteria and to keep the teeth mineralized.
There are certain health conditions which are likely to
occur if you do not take good care of your oral and dental health. In this
scenario, the severe form of gum disease can be the major culprit as it lets
the infection to gain access to the vessels which are connected to the
cardiovascular system. In addition, certain health conditions such as HIV/AIDS
and diabetes can hamper body’s immune system, leading to the body’s inability
to fight off infections. In this scenario, the likelihood of gum disease and
cavities is multifold.
Conditions that are linked to oral health
Bad oral health can result in some overall health
complications. Some of those complications are worth mentioning here.
- Endocarditis is a condition which involves infection to the inner lining of your heart. The probable reason for this infection in the attack of bacteria which travel from the other body parts through veins and vessels. Since there are veins in the gums that are connected directly to the vessels which are connected to the heart, severe infection in the gums can lead to Endocarditis.
- According to some studies, clogged arteries, stroke and heart disease are linked to the inflammation of gums.
- Premature birth and other complications during pregnancy may occur as a result of periodontitis.
There are certain health conditions which can affect your
oral health. Those health conditions are as under.
- Diabetes can result in overall weakness of immune system. Hence, your gums may not be able to fight infections if you are diabetic. Increased blood sugar levels can cause infectious bacteria to gain control of your mouth.
- There are certain oral health problems that can occur if you have HIV/AIDS.
- If you are suffering from osteoporosis, you may also suffer from jawbone loss. It is typically due to the drugs that are taken to treat osteoporosis.
Protecting your oral health
The conclusion here is that you need to take care of your
oral health if you want to maintain your overall health. Furthermore, there are
certain health conditions which can be diagnosed with the help of an analysis
of your oral cavity. Therefore, it gets more important to visit your dentist biannually
because this visit can help you know about your overall health too.
In addition, you will need to make sure that you are taking
good care of your oral hygiene not just because you need to maintain your smile
and biting force but also due to the fact that not taking care of oral health
can lead to serious kinds of other health conditions which can be
life-threatening.
