Filling the Gap Between Overall Health and Oral Health
April 3-9, 2017 is National Public Health week. This is a time that we focus on the importance of creating healthier families and stronger communities.
So how does this affect your dental health?
As we read through some of our other blog posts, there are numerous illnesses and lifestyle factors that affect dental health. Let’s think about it. We’ve previously talked about nutrition, diabetes, smoking & tobacco use, prescribed medications, and anxiety to name a few. We’re basically looking at a row of dominoes. Knock one down, and another is sure to fall.
Some things directly affect your dental care. For example, we’ve been told numerous times that bad nutrition, such as soda and sweets, can wear away and erode your teeth. It’s a direct contact. Medications may have high acidity or sugar content, and can also have the same effect on your teeth.
Other ailments and diseases though can trigger a set of events that all end with dental problems. One such case would be Diabetes. A person with undetected Diabetes often suffers from dry mouth. Dry mouth in turn will cause mouth ulcers, infections and tooth decay.
Stress can be another trigger. Although it does not directly affect your oral care, it could in turn cause someone to grind their teeth. Grinding your teeth of course will begin to cause erosion or jaw issues. Again, it’s the domino effect.
And your oral health in return can cause other health problems in the future. Periodontal disease causes inflammation of the gums and is now a recognized risk factor for coronary arterial disease, peripheral arterial disease and stroke. It has also been shown in research where the bacteria that causes gum disease and inflammation has traveled from the mouth to the hearts, kidneys, lungs and livers.
Living Healthier Lives
The goal behind National Public Health Week is to put an emphasis on creating healthier families and stronger communities. We want to educate others to understand how your health and lifestyle affects your oral health and vice-versa. Becoming healthier allows us to fully enjoy our lives and raise a healthier generation for our future. If you have dental issues that you are concerned about, we urge you to schedule an appointment with your local dentist.
