Ask the Oral Surgeon in Chicago Loop: Symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

There are a number of symptoms linked with TMJ that can be diagnosed by this dual-degreed oral surgeon in Chicago Loop, including:

• Clicking or other noise when closing or opening the mouth
• Pain or difficulty in chewing or biting
• Loss of or altered hearing
• Ache or pain in face
• Headache, most noticeable in the morning, after waking up
• Earache, most noticeable in the morning
• Migraine, most noticeable in the morning
• Tinnitus
• Impairment to closing or opening the mouth
• Ache or pain of the jaw
• Ache or pain of the shoulder or neck

The Oral Surgeon in Chicago Loop and TMJ: A Final Note

Your mouth says far more about your overall health and well-being than one might initially think. And what’s more, the health of your mouth shares an intimate link with that of your body, says this dual-degreed oral surgeon in Chicago. Much research has been dedicated to the topic of periodontal (gum) disease – an acute and chronic infection of the soft tissues in the mouth – and one of the startling connections this research has revealed is that oral bacterial infection left untreated can increase a patient’s risk of developing a whole host of other debilitating and, in cases, potentially fatal illnesses! Now more than ever, patients need to realize that good oral health and hygiene are fundamental not only to preserve smile aesthetics and to prevent tooth loss, but to promote good general health as well, says this oral surgeon in Chicago Loop.

Our mouth is a portal into the rest of our body. What we put in it provides the nutrition and energy necessary to keep us alive and healthy. So, it makes perfect sense that if your mouth is ridden with bacteria and decay – as is symptomatic of periodontal disease or impacted teeth – your general health is at heightened risk, says this oral surgeon in Chicago. You may think that brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day is the dentist’s advice for avoiding cavities, but in reality, a rigorous home oral hygiene routine could save you from a whole host of nasty ailments and diseases, including cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes and osteoporosis! The key here is the body’s response to infection, says this dual-degreed oral surgeon in Chicago Loop, which is inflammation and the cellular and immune response to it; the common denominator in all of these debilitating and potentially fatal conditions.

The bottom line is that any disease or chronic bacterial infection in the mouth can and does have an impact upon the health of the rest of the body.

In spite of the connection between the health of the mouth and that of the body – a connection that is well documented in scientific literature – the statistics of periodontal disease in the United States alone are shocking! A staggering 80% of all Americans present with some form or stage of oral bacterial infection, whether it is generalized or localized, like around an impacted tooth, says this oral surgeon in Chicago Loop, or whether it be a mild infection of the gums (gingivitis) or severe chronic periodontal disease. While your medical history and genetics can increase your risk for developing gum disease, maintaining lifelong oral hygiene is the real key to minimizing your risk. And all this entails is regular and thorough brushing and flossing, removing impacted and hopeless teeth and visits to a general dentist and oral surgeon in Chicago Loop.

Just as we are confident of the link between smoking and respiratory disease, so too are medical researchers, scientists and doctors confident of the importance periodontal (gum) disease plays in the development of a whole host of terrible diseases and afflictions. If all it takes is that little extra effort to keep your teeth and gums clean and pay regular visits to the oral surgeon in Chicago Loop, then consider it a worth-while investment in the beauty of your smile and the longevity of your body!

This article, part 3 of 4, explores the connection between chronic oral bacterial infection and preterm labor, as well as other illnesses and diseases of the body.

Previously, this dual-degreed oral surgeon in Chicago discussed the connection between chronic and acute oral bacterial infections (periodontal disease) and the general health of the body, in particular the heart. It was found that patients who present with gum disease are at a 50% greater risk of developing heart disease, and that this was a result of a build-up of arterial plaques (soft deposits of bacteria) in the arteries due to inflammation, c-reactive protein and other chemical inflammatory mediators. In this article, the third installment of our four-part series on periodontal disease, we shall look at some of the other serious and potentially fatal conditions this nasty oral affliction is directly associated with.

Ask the Oral Surgeon in Chicago Loop: Understanding the Mouth-Body Connection

Few patients truly understand how intimately linked our mouths are with our bodies. If you had to tell the average person that neglecting to brush and floss regularly would put them at an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimer’s and respiratory disease, they’d probably stare at you in disbelief! Or at least it is in the experience of the oral surgeon in Chicago Loop. However, this is the reality of the situation. Allowing an oral bacterial infection of the soft tissues surrounding the teeth, the gums, to go untreated not only causes bad breath, gum inflammation, swelling, oral lesions and eventual tooth loss, but it is also linked with all of these awful diseases, says this dual degreed oral surgeon in Chicago Loop.

Ask the Oral Surgeon in Chicago Loop: Periodontal Disease and Associated Risks

• Periodontal Disease and Diabetes ~ Diabetes can be a debilitating condition to live with. By increasing a patient’s risk for infection, it has a devastating effect on the entire body, including your mouth. Oddly enough, diabetes not only increases a patient’s risk of developing an oral bacterial infection; but the reverse situation is also true! Periodontal disease, says the oral surgeon in Chicago Loop, increases the amount of infection the body is forced to deal with, which in turn makes it extremely difficult to control blood sugar levels. Seeking treatment for periodontal disease can make diabetes easier to control and controlled diabetes lowers a patient’s risk of oral bacterial infection, says this dual-degreed oral surgeon in Chicago.

• Periodontal Disease and Premature Birth ~ Being pregnant immediately increases a woman’s susceptibility to gum infection, which is unfortunately a result of fluctuating hormone levels, says the oral surgeon in Chicago Loop. However, medical studies have revealed that an oral bacterial infection may also lead to preterm labor, low fetal birth weight and premature birth, which makes it extremely important for expecting women to follow a rigorous oral hygiene routine and seek regular professional attention from the oral surgeon in Chicago.

• Periodontal Disease and Respiratory Disease ~ Possibly a result of breathing in and aspirating bacteria, gum disease is linked with several different kinds of pneumonia.

• Periodontal Disease and Osteoporosis ~ This is as yet an unconfirmed link, says the oral surgeon in Chicago Loop, but certain medical studies have led to the theory that periodontal disease may lead to more rapid bone loss in patients that suffer from osteoporosis.

• Periodontal Disease and Arthritis ~ In the Journal of Periodontology, a 2008 study revealed that of a sample of 109 people, those with rheumatoid arthritis were 80% more likely to suffer from acute and chronic oral bacterial infections. Because they are both inflammatory in nature, says this dual-degreed oral surgeon in Chicago, they are believed to be closely linked.

Ask the Oral Surgeon in Chicago Loop: *Watch this Space*

Stay tuned for the fourth and final installment of this article series on the link between poor periodontal health and the serious diseases and disorders that affect the body.