Dental health and the body; why its good to get a routine dental cleaning and exam?
If you have ever sat down and thought about it, the mouth is the gateway to the rest of our body. It is how we grow, nourish, and heal ourselves. So why would we not keep our mouth as healthy as possible as to provide our bodies with the best life it can live? A dirty mouth can directly affect one’s systemic health. Two major areas that have been shown to have direct correlations are people with heart conditions and/or diabetes.
A dirty mouth can harbor a multitude of bacteria that can affect our body’s health. Our heart is the body’s motor or engine, and a dirty engine, means poor performance. With a dirty mouth, someone with a heart condition can be at a greater risk for a infection of their heart due to a larger amount of bacteria. These bacteria can spread into the blood system and colonize in our heart and cause severe damage or even death! Keeping the mouth clean and free of unwanted bacteria can mean a little more pep in your step and easier resting knowing your heart is safer.
That same bacteria that colonizes in our mouth and affects the heart can have a significant affect on a diabetic person’s blood sugar management. It has been proven that periodontal (gum) health has a direct correlation to diabetes. If one’s mouth is poorly maintained, it often causes their diabetic health to suffer, causing them to have serious systemic consequences and complications. A thorough understanding of how to properly clean your teeth and routine visits can drastically improve one’s overall health and diabetes.
Both cardiovascular disease and diabetes plague a large number of people in the United States, and especially here in Alabama. We recommended you visit your dentist at least two times per year for a check up and professional cleaning in order to maintain a healthy mouth. This allows one to address any hygiene issues they may have and to help keep our mouth, and body, in tip-top shape!