General Dentistry |2 min read

What Your Teeth May Tell You About Your Overall Health

Your dental hygiene can tell you a lot more than if your teeth are white or straight. Your mouth is the key to the rest of your body. A healthy mouth can lead to a healthy body. Or, if you are noticing some unhealthy characteristics of your mouth, it might not stop there.

Your mouth is a lead-in for bacteria and germs to get into the rest of your body.

There are different ways that your teeth can tell you about your overall health. Either your mouth will be the cause of your conditions or your condition will be the cause of your oral health.

oral health connecting to overall health problems

Your oral health is leading to your conditions

Poor oral hygiene can be a leading cause of some of the symptoms that you have been experiencing.

  • Endocarditis – is an infection of the inner heart chambers and valves. Bacteria enters your bloodstream and will infect parts of your heart.
  • Cardiovascular Disease – There has been some association between gum disease, plaque buildup, and heart disease. These results may be due to infections or inflammation that bacteria can cause.
  • Pregnancy Complications There are links between pregnancy gingivitis and plaque buildup with premature birth and low birth rate.
  • Pneumonia – Bacteria can get into your lungs through the bacteria in your mouth.
  • Vitamin Deficiency – A vitamin D and A deficiency can affect the enamel of your teeth. A vitamin B deficiency can cause lips to crack, cheeks to develop ulcers, inflamed gums, and a burning sensation in the mouth and tongue.

Your conditions may lead to bad oral health

  • Diabetes – Having diabetes makes you more susceptible to contracting infections, including gum disease.
  • Eating Disorders – Your dentist is usually the first person to notice if you have an eating disorder. People with bulimia have tooth erosion due to the constant bile acid passing by the teeth.
  • Osteoporosis – Osteoporosis can lead to tooth loss by decreasing the density of the bone that supports the teeth.
  • Alzheimer’s Disease – As Alzheimer’s progress, patients begin to forget to take care of their teeth. They will eventually have bacteria and gingivitis.

So how do I make sure my teeth and overall health stay balanced?

Keeping up with your oral health is a large part of keeping bacteria out of the rest of your body. Brushing your teeth twice a day gets germs and bacteria out of your mouth. Flossing once a day helps take care of tartar that will buildup to keep it from turning to plaque.

Keeping up with your regular dental visits helps your dentist determine anything that might be wrong that you will not notice.

Don’t have a dentist? Give us a call at your nearest ProGrin Dental to make sure your we not only take care of your oral health but your overall health as well.

 

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