Oral health is crucial to a person's over well-being, as good oral health plays a major part in people's lives, including their ability to smile, speak, chew and even show their feelings and emotions. While good oral health is beneficial on its own, some medical professionals believe that the state of one's teeth is a good indicator of their overall health and well-being.
Preventative Dental Services and Overall Well-Being
Typically, individuals that do not have access to preventive dental services like regular dental checkups and cleanings are more likely to have dental problems, such as dental carries (tooth decay) and gum disease, and in severe cases, cancer of the mouth and throat. Location, income, race, gender and age seem to play a major role in dental health, and those that do not have access to preventative dental care barely have access to regular medical care. For this reason, one's oral health can usually be used as an indicator of one's overall physical health and well-being. Simply put, if somebody's oral health is suffering, it is possible that their overall physical health is as well. This is particularly true among young children and older adults who are generally more prone to health issues than adults between 18 and 55.
Inflammation Can Cause Serious Health Issues
Dental inflammation of the tooth, gums and jaw bones can reault in serious health issues outside of your mouth, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Serious gum disease and periodontal disease, which about 10 to 15 percent of the American population has, puts sufferers at a much greater risk for cardiovascular disease. Severe gum disease also puts you at risk for a stroke.
The Link between Periodontal Disease and Diabetes
The connection between periodontal disease and diabetes is a rather new and complicated one. Diabetes increases your risk of infection, which raises your risk of periodontal disease. Having gum disease due to poor oral hygiene increases inflammation, which can make it harder for your body to cope with diabetes. Whether poor oral hygiene can actually trigger diabetes in pre-diabetic individuals is still being researched.
Gum Disease and Pregnancy
For pregnant women, oral health is a major concern. Many expecting mothers know that smoking, drinking alcohol and having high blood pressure can result in premature birth, however there is evidence that gum disease can alter hormones in expecting mothers, which can, in some cases, cause premature birth. An expecting mother's oral health can also affect the oral health of her child - a mom with healthy teeth is much more likely to have a child with healthy teeth, and a mom with gum disease is more likely to have a child with tooth and gum problems from birth.
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