This article explains the relationship between oral hygiene and overall health. We also supply valuable information about a good oral hygiene routine and nutritional advice that contributes to healthy teeth!
Many people disregard the relationship between oral health and general health. There are numerous medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer and adverse outcomes of pregnancy that are associated with poor oral health. On the other hand, your general health can also impact your oral health.
In this two-part article series we will be looking at the relationship between oral health and general health. We shall also provide valuable information regarding nutrition and its relationship with the health of your teeth and gums. Along with the advice of a dentist in Pueblo Colorado, this article will inform you as to why oral health is vital to your quality of life.
It’s All Connected: A Pueblo Dentist Explains
Diseases such as periodontal disease, as well as other systemic diseases that affect your oral health, will in turn affect your diet as these conditions may make it more difficult or painful to eat certain foods. This results in poor nutrition, which not only compromises your oral health but also your general health. A Pueblo dentist explains that the connections between nutritional, medical and oral health really bring to the forefront the significance of the relationships between dental and systemic health.
Diabetes and Oral Health
Poorly regulated diet and medication for diabetes can cause an increase in high blood sugar levels and increased amounts of sugar in saliva. This can lead to a series of oral afflictions such as dry mouth, periodontal disease, dental caries, infections and more. These conditions further affect your mouth and general health. For instance, dry mouth can cause difficulty and pain when chewing, tasting and swallowing which may in turn affect your diet. It also leaves your teeth more vulnerable to oral bacteria, since saliva is your body’s natural defense against these microorganisms.
Periodontal (gum) disease amplifies the difficulty of accomplishing good blood glucose control in people with diabetes. Other conditions such as heart disease or adverse outcomes of pregnancy show a direct link with oral health afflictions and risks. Thus, a dentist in Pueblo Colorado explains, oral health becomes vitally important and can serve as an indicator for general health conditions.
Oral Health Starts At Home
As we have discovered, maintaining a good standard of oral hygiene will not only be good for oral health but will also do wonders for your general health. And the best place to start is at home. A Pueblo dentist suggests that you keep a consistent and well-rounded basic oral hygiene routine, along with regular visits to your local dentist to ensure that your teeth and gums are looked after properly. By brushing, flossing and rinsing twice daily, you will be completing the simplest yet most effective steps towards protecting your oral health.
Stay Tuned
Join us for the second installment of this article series, in which we take a look at how your diet can aid in promoting or demoting oral health. We consider the best and worst foods for your teeth and, with the advice of a dentist in Pueblo Colorado, help to answer some questions relating to food and teeth.