Oral health is an important aspect of overall health of individuals. Our mouth is the gateway to our body. Food as well as all other things in the mouth can travel to our systems including bacteria and infections.
We all know that mind rules the body. The state of body affects the way we think, and the frame of mind you are in affects the way the body functions. There is a mind and body connection both ways.
It is also true for mouth and body. There is a connection between mouth and body. If one is not well, the other is affected.
If something is wrong in your mouth your body does not behave normally, similarly when something is wrong in the body, your mouth will show it.
- Respiratory diseases
Gum disease is the inflammation of the gums called gingivitis. If it is not treated there is a risk of teeth loss and it may lead to increased risk of respiratory ailments, as the bacteria in plaque can travel from mouth to respiratory system, and onto lungs, causing infections or aggravating existing lung conditions.
People suffering from infections of the gums, have increased risk of heart disease as the bacteria travels to blood vessels and enter blood stream. These bacteria contain a protein which narrows the arteries, risking heart attack and stroke.
There is a link between gum diseases and diabetes. Diabetes becomes more unyielding if you have a mouth infection, because it disrupts the blood sugar levels to a certain extent. Untreated gingivitis leads to complications for diabetic patients.
- Premature delivery/Low birth weight babies
Studies are going on to examine the link between women with poor dental health and premature births, as well as low birth weight babies. It is suspected that women who have oral issues prior to pregnancy or currently are at a higher risk of delivering pre term babies and delivering low birth weight babies.
The bacteria responsible for gum disease travel to the brain through blood stream and causes dementia.
- Social life
Oral health impacts social lives too. Good oral hygiene improves appearance, self-esteem and hence quality of life. Poor oral health induces bad breath a social deterrent which reduces number of social relationships and risks deterioration of social life.
- Academic/professional life
Imperfect oral health causes disruption of academic and career or in professional life, resulting in emotional/social problems.
- Weak immune system
If the immune system is weak; the individual will get more infections in the mouth, as the immune system protects our body from illness and infections.
- Drugs and medicines
Many drugs make the moth dry which increases the risk of dental decay and yeast infections.
The mouth acts as an indicator for other diseases in your body of which you may not be aware. By working with dentist we may be able to prevent or diminish the progression of harmful diseases. Sometimes the dentist can tell you about the disease and refer you to a specialist.
It is found that the major factors that are responsible for causing oral health problems are also considered risk factors for other diseases. For example, sugar, which is considered unhealthy for weight gain, heart diseases and diabetes, is equally harmful for teeth. Drugs and narcotics, which are harmful for heart, lung and body in general, are harmful for teeth also. Alcohol is bad for oral hygiene as well as for the liver.
Oral hygiene is important not only for the teeth but for also for the entire body as the health of one affects the health of the other.