How Oral Health Can Affect Your Entire Body

A good oral health routine isn't just for the benefit of your mouth. It actually affects the rest of your body too. Following the suggestions from our trusted dentists in Southern Missouri will both give you a dazzling, healthy smile and help you achieve good health throughout the rest of your body too. Today's Access Dental & Dentures blog explains this to give you a better understanding of how everything works together.

Gateway to the Body
Your mouth is a gateway to your body. Everything we eat or drink, even much of the air we breathe, travels through the mouth. That means a lot of bacteria has a chance to build up in there throughout the day. Once these germs are built up, they can enter the bloodstream through your tongue, gums, and saliva. 

A regular brushing and flossing routine can help to prevent harmful bacteria and germs from traveling to other parts of the body. Dentists recommend brushing twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening. Flossing daily also helps remove some of the harder to reach germs from in-between your teeth. 

How Saliva Can Help or Harm
Saliva carries a large portion of the mouth contents into the body. If you have good oral care, this process is beneficial for delivering clean saliva to help the body function properly. On the flip side, if you have poor oral care, the saliva in your mouth will bring germs and bacteria into your body. If you have too much bad bacteria built up, it can cause an infection or a number of other health issues.

Conditions Linked to Poor Oral Health 
Below we have listed a few of the ways that poor oral health can lead to even bigger problems than cavities and gum infections.

Diabetes
Gum disease can cause diabetic symptoms to worsen by restricting blood flow. People who have diabetes have difficulties keeping glucose levels in check. Improperly managed glucose levels in the mouth can encourage bacteria to grow and will travel throughout the body.

Heart Problems
Periodontal disease, which is a chronic bacterial infection in the gums, increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. If it is built up in the mouth, the infection can move through the body via saliva.

Pregnancy Issues
Oral health issues have been known to cause the risk of preterm birth in pregnant women. Bacteria in the body can increase infection which may lead to an issue with pregnancy.

Arthritis
Bacteria in the blood system is thought to lead to the development of arthritis in the joints quicker than it would with good oral health.

Respiratory Illness
Lungs get a large amount of the bacteria that has built up in the mouth. This can cause a number of respiratory issues including pneumonia and emphysema.

Keep Your Whole Body Healthy

The simple act of developing the habit of a good oral health routine is an easy way to protect the rest of your body form an excess of unnecessary bacteria. You should also schedule regular checkups at one of our many dental offices across Southern Missouri. The knowledgable dentists at Access Dental & Dentures will be able to detect the early stages of many oral health problems and help to prevent them from becoming big problems. 

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

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