Oral health is valuable for our overall wellness at every phase of life. Additionally, a healthy mouth enables not just nutrition of the body but also promotes a feeling of wellness, self-confidence, and greatly improves social interaction.
The Mouth-Body Connection
In actuality, there is this thing that we call the mouth-body connection. Perhaps many of us think that a dental visit is only about having our decayed teeth pulled out, having our teeth professionally cleaned and whitened, and the like. But a dental visit does not only focus on teeth.
Dental appointments are also about one’s general health. Keep in mind that what goes on in your mouth can have an impact on other body parts. Likewise, what goes on in our body can also have an impact on the mouth.
Several diseases and conditions can have an impact on oral health. For instance, people may acquire more infections in the mouth if the immune system is impaired. It is the immune system that shields the body from infection and other ailments.
Oral health can be impaired by disease or as an adverse effect of cancer chemotherapy drugs. Moreover, medications for other conditions can also have an impact on the health of the mouth, causing dry mouth. In turn, this can heighten the risk of yeast infections and tooth decay. This can also affect a person’s sense of taste.
The dentist may see a symptom or sign of a disease or illness which you may not be aware of while examining your mouth. He or she may administer some tests or he or she will consider referring you to a specialist for the necessary treatment.
Bear in mind that if you have a certain medical condition, a more specialized dental and oral care may be necessary. If needed, the dentist may refer you to an oral medicine expert.
More than that, a person’s oral health can affect other medical conditions. For instance, if you are suffering from diabetes, a mouth infection can upset your blood glucose levels. Due to this, your condition will be even more complicated to control.
Research
At present, researchers are digging into whether gum disease may heighten the risk of different medical issues. These may comprise of premature births, heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.
Approximately 35 percent of adults in the US have some sort of periodontitis, and another 50 percent of adults are suffering from gingivitis. And since periodontitis is very common, its management and treatment can have valuable implications for general public health.
As you can see, oral health is not only about having clean and healthy teeth and gums; this is also about maintaining good overall health.