Oral Health and Overall Health: How Strong is the Link?

We are all aware of the primary benefits of good oral hygiene. If you want a bright smile, clean teeth, and wonderful breath, then proper oral care is a must. But can effective brushing and flossing actually help prevent serious systemic disorders as well? Let’s explore this a bit…

Your mouth can provide a snapshot into how healthy your body is as a whole.

Specific odors of bad breath, hidden lesions in your mouth, and even testing of saliva may help identify diseases as serious as HIV, Parkinson’s, diabetes, or COVID-19. In the same way that oral conditions affect systemic health, systemic conditions also affect oral health and the delivery of dental care. Coordination between medical and dental providers is essential to ensure the proper overall health of our patients. This is partly why you fill out such a detailed medical history and medication information when you are seen at our office.

Bacteria in the mouth can effect the total health of the body.

There are literally hundreds of strains of bacteria that live in the human mouth. These bacteria accumulate and develop what we see as dental plaque. Overgrowth of bacteria and the resulting inflammation that occurs throughout the body may play a factor in the development of heart attacks and strokes, as well as pre-term labor, among other things. The more severe the infection, the greater the risk may be.

It is therefore imperative to maintain a proper schedule of dental care and to keep us updated on any changes to your medical history or prescriptions used. Together we can work to keep you healthy and active for many more years to come!