How Oral Hygiene Impacts Overall Health

Most people are unaware of the fact that oral hygiene has a huge impact on your overall physical health. This isn’t even a stretch—an overwhelming amount of evidence supports this statement.

Oral diseases impact 3.5 billion people around the world. Only 50% of Americans have dental insurance. Poor oral hygiene has been directly linked to overall health. Let’s take a look at how you can prevent bad health by treating your oral health issues and availing dental services in Gainesville.

Is There Any Connection?

Yes, there is. Your mouth is the main source of food intake. If your mouth becomes the breeding place of bacteria, it won’t hurt you directly, but it will lead to trouble in the form of poor physical health. Not just that, but you will also have to face dental problems like gum disease and tooth decay.

To make things more complicated, taking certain medications for certain health issues can also upset your mouth’s balance. For example, Sjogren’s Syndrome medication can impact your saliva production. If your body cannot produce enough saliva, it could damage your teeth.

Things can get worse if you don’t take care of your oral hygiene and health. Good dental health and oral hygiene are key to regulating your overall health. The first step is to go for regular dental checkups in Gainesville.

How Does Oral Health Impact Overall Health?

So, does oral health truly affect your general health? If you look at your basic anatomy, it does. Your mouth is the gateway to other systems in your body, including the digestive and respiratory systems. It’s also connected to the nervous and circulatory systems.

A woman having dental checkup in Gainesville

Problems Bad Dental Health Can Cause

Here are a few conditions linked to poor oral health or dental concerns.

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Endocarditis
  • Pneumonia
  • Birth and pregnancy complications
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Osteoporosis

Poor Oral Health Causing Heart Disease

Poor oral hygiene does have a connection to heart diseases, but currently, there isn’t enough evidence collected by researchers and doctors to make a firm, definitive conclusion. However, certain conditions can be caused by bad teeth and oral health.

Gum Disease and Diabetes

Gum disease, or periodontal disease, can cause chronic health issues. It has been linked with diabetes as poor dental health can cause infections that enter your bloodstream and affects your heart’s valves.

Can Oral Health Impact Mental Health?

Those with uneven teeth or damaged smiles have low self-confidence. They can also suffer from various mood disorders caused by self-neglect. Losing teeth can cause teeth grinding, which is also increased by anxiety or stress.

For dental care in Gainesville, check us out at Park Avenue Dental. We’re a dental clinic in Gainesville, Florida, and you talk to any of our expert dentists for advice regarding our dental services.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, reach out to us today.