How Oral Health Affects Other Parts of the Body
Have you ever thought about how the health of your mouth may affect your body? This is an area of medical science that is just now starting to be explored. A number of studies have been conducted that have come up with some very startling results. Here are some tips on how oral health may impact the rest of your body.
Oral Health is Becoming a Major Priority
Scheduling a visit to an orthodontist in New York may have more implications for your future health than you realize. As it turns out, many people are beginning to visit dental surgeons in hopes of restoring the health of other parts of their bodies. This is the extent to which the oral and body connection is starting to be taken seriously around the world.
A lot of the interest in this new connection has to do with the rise of the holistic approach. People are becoming more apt to take a closer look at areas of the body that may seem to have little or no connection. As they do so, they begin to come upon links that promise to reveal more about the key to health.
Your Mouth is a Perpetual Battlefield
The first thing you need to know about your oral health is that it is crucial to maintaining your overall wellness. This is due to a number of very significant factors. When too much bacteria builds up on your teeth, it can make your immune system work overtime. This makes your gums more prone to infection.
Your immune system will attack the bacteria. This can cause a major inflammation of your gums. If you let things go too far, the bacteria will release a set of chemicals that eats away at your teeth, gums, and bones. This causes a condition known as periodontitis. This can lead to trouble in other areas of the body.
Gum Disease Can Make Your Diabetes Worse
Many medical experts are pointing to evidence that shows that inflammation of the gums can worsen diabetes. This is due to the fact that bacterial infections that begin in your mouth can weaken your body’s ability to control blood sugar. The result is a diabetic condition that can wreak havoc on your physical health.
The inflammation that harms your gums may also impair your body’s ability to process insulin. It can lead directly to the onset of diabetes in a previously healthy person. If you already have diabetes, this can make your condition worse. Understanding the link between the two can help you on both fronts.
Gum Disease Can Affect Your Heart’s Health
Another key link between gum disease and the rest of the body may concern your heart. It has been shown in multiple studies that gum disease can also lead to disorders of the heart. This is due to inflammation that affects the blood vessels in the mouth. It can also cause restrictions in blood vessels elsewhere.
One of these locations may be your heart. Up to 90 percent of people who suffer from heart disease also suffer from gum disease. Smoking, obesity, and poor diet are other factors that are also noted. These common factors can be the recipe for very poor heart health. This is a condition that can shorten your lifespan.
Poor Oral Health Can Lead to Bone Loss
Another area that may be adversely affected by gum disease is your bones. A number of recent studies have noticed a correlation between gum disease and the loss of bone structure.
This may be due to the fact that harmful bacteria in your mouth can attack the calcium in your teeth. The inflammation that it causes can also lead to a lowered ability to fight the bone loss that occurs elsewhere.
Oral Health is Something to Smile About
It will be up to you to do all that you can to keep your oral health in good condition. As it turns out, this is a must if you want to regulate the rest of your body. The connection between gum disease and other conditions is just now starting to be realized. Taking note of them can be the key to staying healthy.
