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How Oral Health Affects Your Overall Wellness

Oral health can play a profoundly significant role in your overall wellness. The mouth is effectively the doorway to the body as a whole, and failure to pay proper attention to your oral health can lead to a wide range of ailments and afflictions that go far beyond a simple toothache.

Bacteria in the Mouth Can Impact the Body’s Immune System

Like practically every other area of your body, your mouth is filled with countless bacteria. Fortunately, most of them are totally harmless with the proper maintenance, as your body’s natural defenses work to help keep them under control. However, without consistent oral hygiene, these bacteria can reach levels of concentration that overwhelm your immune system’s ability to respond, leading to infections and chronic oral diseases.

Bacteria that build up in the mouth can also easily move to other areas of your body, causing conditions that may seem to be completely unrelated. For example, endocarditis is an infection of the inner heart tissue that occurs when bacteria from the mouth or other infected areas spread through the bloodstream and attach to damaged areas of the organ. Oral bacteria are even linked to cardiovascular disease, as well as risks in pregnancy.

Oral Diseases

Oral diseases such as tooth decay and gingivitis are common chronic ailments because of the often-delayed onset of noticeable symptoms and the expense involved with treating these issues in their advanced stages. In many cases, this means that these conditions are only treated once they have become severe and are causing intense pain or unsightly cosmetic damage.

The most widespread risk factors involved with the incidence of chronic oral diseases include stress, poor nutrition, inadequate hygiene, alcohol, smoking, and high-risk activities including action and combat sports. Once the health of the mouth declines, substantial lifestyle changes, such as altering a patient’s diet and even their method of speech may be necessary, detracting from the quality of their everyday life.

Contributing Conditions

There are also ailments that specifically have a negative impact on dental health as well as attacking the body in general. Diseases that lower the effectiveness of the immune system put the teeth and gums in serious danger, as the body will work to maintain the health of organs absolutely vital for life first. Osteoporosis causes all bones to become weaker and more brittle, and oral health is also affected by the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Everyday Dental Maintenance

Guarding your oral health is an excellent investment in overall wellness, and the easiest way to ensure your oral health is the proper attention to everyday maintenance. Be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day, and daily flossing can help keep food deposits in tiny crevices from feeding the bacteria in your mouth as well.

You should also schedule regular dental appointments for upkeep as well as contacting your dentist as soon as an issue arises. Whether it’s for scheduled cleaning or a specific oral health concern, the oral & maxillofacial surgeons at Innovative Oral Surgery in Bucks County can share their expertise to help you keep your mouth and body as healthy as possible. Call today for a free consultation.

Additional resources:

  1. Medscape, Bacterial Mouth Infections, https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1081424-overview
  2. Web MD, Other Oral Problems, https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/oral-health-symptoms-types