Taking good care of your teeth, gums, and mouth in general is a worthwhile objective. Good dental hygiene can prevent different kinds of dental issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, tooth loss or bad breath. Having healthy teeth and a healthy mouth is the sign of your overall wellbeing.
If you have problems with your teeth, these issues can affect the rest of your body or cause certain health issues.
What’s the connection between oral health and overall health?
As you may know, mouth and other parts of the body are filled with bacteria. Luckily, most of them are harmless. In order to keep the bacteria in your mouth under control, we have to brush and floss regularly. If our oral health care isn’t at an enviable level, bacteria may find a way and cause severe problems.
Also, if you use certain medications such as painkillers, antihistamines, decongestants or antidepressants, they may reduce saliva flow in our mouth. Saliva helps us wash away food and neutralize acids that bacteria produce in the mouth. If the flow is reduced then we’re in trouble.
If a person suffers from certain diseases such as HIV/AIDS or diabetes, it will surely lower the body’s resistance to infection, so it makes oral health problems even more serious.
What conditions may be linked to oral health?
Why is oral health important? Well, because poor dental health can contribute to various diseases, such as:
Endocarditis – an infection of the inner lining of your heart. It occurs when bacteria from other parts of the body, your mouth, for instance, spread through your bloodstream and attach to the damaged parts of your heart.
Cardiovascular disease – some studies show that bacteria from mouth might be responsible for heart disease, clogged arteries, and stroke.
Pregnancy and birth – a severe form of gum disease or periodontitis is linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
These and many other reasons should encourage you to visit the North Pointe Dental Associates in Tampa for your regular teeth cleanings. You should make it your habit.
There are health conditions that will affect your oral health. These conditions may be diabetes, HIV/AIDS, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease etc.
How to protect your oral health?
To protect your oral and overall health, you should make sure to practice good oral hygiene every day. It’s essential that you realize the importance of preventative oral health care. You have to brush your teeth and floss at least twice a day, have a healthy diet and lower the sugar intake, replace toothbrush every three months, avoid tobacco and keep in mind to schedule regular teeth cleanings.
Get Your Cleaning ASAP!
North Pointe Dental Associates are ready to clean your teeth so you can achieve a healthy mouth, ultimately leading to a healthier body. Feel free to contact us and schedule an appointment. Call today at (813) 961-1727! Also, visit our blog for more valuable information regarding oral health.
