Oral and Overall Health

Medical Conditions That Might Contribute to Oral Health

Did you know that our dentists can tell whether you have a certain medical condition by simply looking in your mouth? It’s true. Here are just some of the conditions that can manifest symptoms in your oral cavity:

• Diabetes.
• Osteoporosis.
• HIV or AIDS.
• Oral cancer.

Diabetes and HIV lower your ability to fight infection, increasing the risk of getting gum disease more frequently. If you have osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become brittle and weak, your jaw bone can lose density, weakening the support it gives to your teeth and potentially leading to tooth loss.

Oral Conditions That Might Contribute to Overall Health

Perhaps more remarkable are the ways in which your oral health impacts other areas of your body. Although it’s difficult to prove causation in many cases, over and over again, studies show a strong link between conditions in the mouth and problems elsewhere. Most likely, these links result from harmful, inflammation-causing bacteria entering the bloodstream and traveling to vulnerable spots throughout the body. Below are some of the medical conditions that poor oral health might contribute to:

• Heart disease.
• Alzheimer’s.
• Pregnancy complications.
• Uncontrolled diabetes.

In many studies, researchers have found that those who have gum disease or oral infections were much more likely to struggle with these serious conditions. Although caring for your mouth doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have these diseases, it certainly helps reduce the risk by decreasing the amount of harmful bacteria in your mouth and body.

Caring for Your Oral Health

So how can you keep your smile strong and healthy? At minimum, you need to implement these three things into your lifestyle:

• Brushing twice daily.
• Flossing once daily.
• Visiting Michel Dental twice every year for your checkup and cleaning.

For added protection, you can also do the following:

• Use fluoride or antibacterial mouthwash daily.
• Consume less sugar.
• Drink more water.
• Get fluoride treatment at your checkup.
• Ask us about getting dental sealants.

If your oral health isn’t where it should be, we can help get you back on track. Contact our Topeka or Silver Lake offices to schedule an appointment today!