The Link Between Oral Health and Overall Wellness: Why Your Mouth Matters

Numerous studies have demonstrated the connection between oral health and overall health in recent years. It shouldn’t be surprising. After all, your mouth is the gateway to your digestive and respiratory systems. If you don’t take care of your mouth, including your teeth and gums, germs or infection can travel to other parts of your body and cause serious damage. The systemic-oral connection has been well documented over the years increasing the importance of regular dental care to keep you as healthy as possible.

What Conditions Can be Linked to Oral Health?

Poor oral health can hurt various body systems and even affect your health when you are pregnant. Consider how your oral health affects your body in these ways:

• Cardiovascular Disease: Heart disease, stroke, and clogged arteries have all been linked to oral infections, including gum disease and chronic gum inflammation.
• Endocarditis: This is a rare but potentially fatal condition in which the inner lining of the heart (the endocardium) becomes infected, often from oral germs that have spread through the bloodstream.
• Pregnancy or birth complications: Periodontal disease can lead to premature birth or babies with low birth weight. Taking care of your teeth and gums during pregnancy is especially important.
• Pneumonia: Occasionally, germs from the mouth may be inhaled into the lungs, leading to respiratory infections and, eventually, pneumonia.
• Diabetes: There is a distinct interplay between oral health and diabetes. Because your body is less able to fight infection if you have diabetes, your gums are more likely to develop periodontitis. It is more common and more severe in individuals with diabetes, creating a cycle of poor oral health and compromised immune function that can have a definite effect on people with diabetes trying to stabilize their blood sugars and remain healthy.
• Cancer: Several types of cancers have been linked to gum disease, including oral cancers, lung, breast, gastrointestinal, and uterine cancers.
• HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS often includes symptoms such as painful sores called mucosal lesions in the mouth and around the lips.

The Complexities of Connection

The connections between oral health and other health problems can be complex. While some are a direct cause-and-effect relationship, others are not as immediate. The most direct way your oral health affects your overall health is through your bloodstream. Uncontrolled bacteria in the mouth can enter your bloodstream and travel throughout your body, finding other locations to proliferate, including organs such as the heart, lungs, and intestinal tract.

Chronic inflammation can also affect your health by overstimulating your body’s immune system, contributing to systemic inflammation and conditions such as atherosclerosis. Shared risk factors that affect both your oral health and your overall health, such as a poor diet or smoking, can contribute to a cycle of negative health responses in the body. Lowering systemic inflammation can be achieved by regular dental cleanings and minimizing harmful bacteria in the mouth. Dr. Forcioli and his skilled dental hygienist work together to ensure that your custom oral health plan is optimized for a healthier outcome.

Protecting Your Oral Health to Safeguard Your Overall Health

To prevent negative effects on your overall health that originate in your mouth, it’s essential to care for your teeth and gums. This means making oral hygiene a priority, including:

• Brushing twice daily and flossing every day. Don’t forget to brush your tongue, where bacteria can accumulate quickly and in large amounts.
• Eat healthy, low-sugar foods and incorporate high-calcium food like cheese.
• Replace your toothbrush after every illness, and every 3 to 4 months when you are healthy. If the bristles are flared out, replace your brush more frequently.
• Visit us for a checkup and professional dental cleaning every six months.
• Stop smoking or using tobacco in any form.

We are always here to protect your oral health and help you maintain a beautiful smile. If you have any questions or would like to schedule your next checkup, please call the Forcioli Family Dentistry office at Lombard IL Cosmetic Dentistry Office Phone Number 630-627-1495. We are looking forward to seeing your smiling face soon!