Friday, December 2, 2011

Your Dentist Says, a Healthy Mouth Means a Healthy Body

Your Way To Financial Freedom
You know that going to the dentist is important for the health of your teeth, but what you may not know is that it is also important for your overall health and well being. A healthy mouth can actually indicate that you have a healthy body overall, and this is a fact that many dental patients do not know. If they did, they would not be tempted to skip those all-important visits.

Every day, researchers are finding more and more links between good oral health, and good overall health. It appears that brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist regularly can help you stay in great health, not just avoid cavities. No definitive connections have yet been drawn, but the facts are pointing to a connection or correlation of some point.

Where does this study begin? Researchers are looking into something called biofilm as a possible connection between diseases of the mouth and diseases of the body. This is the film that most people call plaque. It builds up on the teeth over time and is difficult to detect until it starts to cause problems. That is why brushing, flossing, and having those regular dental visits is so important, because it gets rid of the damaging plaque before it can cause other problems.

When this biofilm starts to cause damage to the teeth and gums, gum disease is the result. Gingivitis, the first stages of gum disease, occurs when the plaque causes the gums to become inflamed. This causes little pain, but will be discovered at a routine visit to your dentist. If you do learn that you have gum disease, do not be worried. This problem affects around 80 percent of American adults, so it is very common.

So what does this have to do with your overall health? Gum disease has been linked to a variety of serious health conditions. People with gum disease are at a higher risk of heart problems, diabetes, and complications during pregnancy. What researchers are trying to find out is whether the inflammation or the bacteria in the mouth is what causes this increased risk. In some instances, like with diabetic patients, it is the other disease that increases the risk of developing gum disease. Yet, controlling the gum disease can make controlling blood pressure easier.

For pregnant women, the bacteria that leads to gum disease has been found in the placentas of moms who had high blood pressure during their pregnancies. This can lead to premature delivery, which puts the baby at risk. For this reason, moms should visit their dental practitioner during their pregnancy. Receiving treatment for gum disease is completely safe.

So what does this mean for you? While more research is needed to determine exactly how and why this link exists, it is true that visiting your dentist is even more important than it ever has been. With his help, you can make your mouth as healthy as possible. This, in turn, will help your overall body to be healthy. And that is a winning situation for everyone in your life.

Don't be embarrassed to show your smile. There is a hayward dentist waiting to help you at http://www.southlanddental.com/.

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