Taking good care of your mouth, teeth, and gums is a fitness goal in itself. Sound dental or oral hygiene can help avert halitosis or bad breath, tooth decay, and gum diseases. You also get to keep your teeth for a very long time as a bonus.
There is new research that shows an unhealthy mouth and gum diseases may lead to serious health problems. These include heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and even preterm labor. Awareness of this fact may inspire you to take your dental health seriously. Good oral hygiene is tantamount to protecting your general well-being.
Many medical conditions give off oral signs and symptoms. Your mouth acts as a window of what is going on inside your body. Systemic disease symptoms first appear as mouth lesions or other oral conditions. These lesions affect the whole body and not just one part of the body. About eighty-five percent of all systemic diseases produce oral signs and symptoms.
Missing or crooked teeth can make properly chewing food difficult. Proper digestion of food begins with the basic act of chewing. We eat food not because of the taste, but because of the nutrients that it provides our body to function healthily. Efficient nutrient absorption starts in chewing properly too. When you do this proper chewing, the body discharges saliva on the mouth and other digestive enzymes in the stomach. Saliva is not just some liquid in your mouth. It is one of your body’s main shield against disease-causing organisms. Saliva contains antibodies that can guard your body against the common cold and even HIV. These digestive enzymes aids in breaking down the food into nutrients needed by our body. Food is not digested properly may cause indigestion, heartburn, and constipation.
Plaque can build up along the gumline if brushing and flossing are not done regularly to keep your dental health clean. Plaque build-up can create additional bacteria to gather in the space between your gums and your teeth. This can lead to an acute gum infection, such as gingivitis, to a more severe gum infection called periodontitis, and the severe state commonly called the trench mouth. These are serious infections in the body.
Long term gum infection can naturally result in the loss of teeth. It doesn’t end there. New research supports that there may be a relation between gum infections and cardiovascular diseases, poorly controlled diabetes, and other respiratory issues. Oral inflammation due to gingivitis may play a part in clogged arteries and blood clots. Researchers have found out that bacteria in the mouth can cause inflammation of the arteries throughout the body. This inflammation of arteries may result in plaques in the arteries. These plaques can eventually increase the risks of heart attack or stroke. Having diabetes is already being at risk of developing gum disease. And having chronic gum disease will make diabetes harder to control as well. Such infection of the gums may cause insulin resistance and definitely disturbs blood sugar control.
Here is a good dental advice now that you realize the connection of proper oral hygiene to your overall health – it is best to practice good oral hygiene every day. Regular visits to a trusted dental health professional can definitely help you maintain healthy teeth, gums, and mouth. This is an investment for your overall health.
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