What role does oral health have in overall health?
Posted on 3/20/2023 by DeLuca, Ressel, & Congemi Dental Care |
Studies concur that an individual's oral health and overall well-being are positively correlated. Life quality greatly and fundamentally depends on oral health. The body's general health can be inferred from oral health. The mouth, which serves as a mirror to the body, can assist in detecting nutritional deficiencies, early signs of oral cancer and other diseases, and illnesses brought on by harmful habits like smoking, drinking, and abusing drugs. Hence, poor oral health has a negative impact on a person's overall health.
Oral health as a window to overall health
As the mouth builds bacteria and is the entry point to the digestive and respiratory systems, most of these bacteria, though harmless, can sip into your other body organs and cause infections if proper hygiene is not observed. Oral health can contribute to various diseases and disorders of the body.
Endocarditis and pneumonia This is the infection of the heart valves or chambers (endocardium). This happens when bacteria from another part of the body, for example, the mouth, sip into the bloodstream and lodge or attach in the regions of the heart. The same harmful bacteria in the mouth can be pulled or moved to the lungs causing lung and respiratory diseases like pneumonia.
Diabetes Research has it that people who have diabetes also suffer from gum diseases. Diabetes hinders the body's ability to resist infection, putting the gums and teeth at risk. Also, people with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing oral diseases due to increased sugar levels in their bodies. Their saliva has great glucose levels, causing dental caries and decay. Patients also tend to eat more throughout the day, which increases the chances of bacteria thriving, leading to oral diseases.
Other conditions Oral health is associated with osteoporosis, eating disorders, some malignant ailments, immunological disorders, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular diseases. To keep your oral health in line, it's recommended that you practice dental hygiene, eat a nutritious diet, abstain from narcotics and tobacco, and visit the dentist frequently.
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