Your Oral Health Can Affect Your Overall Health

People often focus on their physical health but neglect properly caring for their teeth and gums. There seems to be the idea that the mouth is separate from the rest of the body, which is perhaps contributed to by dental insurance that’s separate from general health insurance. But even though you have a dentist work on your oral care instead of a doctor, the health of your mouth impacts many other parts of your body. These parts are interconnected, just like so many aspects of the body are. It’s important to know the many ways oral health can impact your overall health.

Health Problems Linked to Oral Care

You naturally have a lot of bacteria in your mouth, but this can sometimes get out of control. When you don’t properly care for your teeth and gums, you can have an overabundance of bacteria and you can also develop gum disease and other oral problems. Oral bacteria and inflammation in the mouth have been associated with problems in the body, as they can contribute.

Some of these include heart disease, stroke, clogged arteries and infection of the heart known as endocarditis. Problems with oral health are also linked to pneumonia and complications with pregnancy and birth. On the flip side of the coin, certain conditions and diseases in the body can contribute to problems with oral health.

Focus on Overall Health and Wellness

Just as oral problems can potentially have negative consequences on the body, taking care of your teeth and gums may improve your health overall–or at least reduce the risk of health conditions and diseases. This means regularly brushing and flossing as well as following other recommendations from your dentist. You can also take charge of your oral health by eating a healthier diet lower in sugar and cleaning your mouth after meals.

Plus, it’s important to get checkups at a dental office, where you can get cleanings and have any oral problems fixed. You should also visit the dentist if you notice some kind of problems such as ongoing bad breath or pain. Also, holistic dentistry can help because it focuses on the wellness of the full person instead of just on oral care.