Healthy Changes—Dental Health, Part 2


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Did you know that oral health is an important factor in determining your overall health?  I knew that poor oral health had been linked to heart disease, but look at the Mayo Clinic's list of conditions that may be related to oral health…

  • Endocarditis. Gum disease and dental procedures that cut your gums may allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. If you have a weak immune system or a damaged heart valve, this can cause infection in other parts of the body — such as an infection of the inner lining of the heart (endocarditis).
  • Cardiovascular disease. Some research suggests that heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke may be linked to oral bacteria, possibly due to chronic inflammation from periodontitis — a severe form of gum disease.
  • Pregnancy and birth. Gum disease has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
  • Diabetes. Diabetes reduces the body's resistance to infection — putting the gums at risk. In addition, people who have inadequate blood sugar control may develop more-frequent and severe infections of the gums and the bone that holds teeth in place, and they may lose more teeth than do people who have good blood sugar control.
  • HIV/AIDS. Oral problems, such as painful mucosal lesions, are common in people who have HIV/AIDS.
  • Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis — which causes bones to become weak and brittle — may be associated with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss.
  • Alzheimer's disease. Tooth loss before age 35 may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
  • Other conditions. Other conditions that may be linked to oral health include Sjogren's syndrome — an immune system disorder — and eating disorders.

If the money factor doesn’t motivate you to get to the dentist, maybe this list will.

13 comments:

  1. This is why it's important to have regular check-ups. It helps you be aware of your medical condition.

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  2. There are even some cases where their severe dental health cost their lives. This, as far as I know, happened twice.

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  3. These are very informative. Thank you for sharing these with us. I didn't know poor oral health is related t heart disease.

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. I would like to add that unhealthy teeth can cause infections in the blood that can also cause sepsis if you don't clean your teeth.

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  6. Oral health is often overlooked, but is a vital part of general health. Thank you so much for this post.

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  7. I actually didn't know that poor oral health can cause heart disease. I'm glad you shared that information to us.

    denture repair

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  8. It is very important to maintain a good dental health to avoid these other illness that may directly or indirectly affected by it. Regular dental checkup is highly encouraged.

    hinsdale dentist

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  9. To protect your oral health, resolve to practice good oral hygiene every day.Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months. Floss daily. Eat a healthy diet and limit between-meal snacks. Schedule regular dental checkups.
    Also, watch for signs and symptoms of oral disease and contact your dentist as soon as a problem arises. Remember, taking care of your oral health is an investment in your overall health.

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  10. Good oral hygiene is a must for every individual. It is true that poor dental care may result to a much more severe internal problems. A simple tooth ache and tooth decay may result to a much detrimental and life-threatening disease, endocarditis.

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  11. We use different dental equipment in different dental practices. We should pay much attention on the way of use dental equipment. Today I mainly introduce something about dental air polisher.

    Air polishing was introduced in the late 1970s as an alternative to a rubber cup filled with pumice. Using a slurry of water, abrasive powder, and pressurized air, the air polisher effectively removes extrinsic stain, plaque biofilm, and prepares occlusal surfaces of teeth for sealant placement. Originally, air polishers were only intended for use on supragingival surfaces since the abrasive powder could potentially harm the softer tissues, such as the cementum, dentin, and gingival epithelium.

    Like many things in dentistry, air polishing has changed since the late 1970s. There are several new air polisher designs and new abrasive powders, and we now have the ability to use air polishers subgingivally. Sodium bicarbonate was the original abrasive powder used, but newer abrasive powders include glycine, calcium carbonate, calcium sodium phosphosilicate, aluminum trihydroxide, and erythritol. These additional powders give us more choices for our patients' individual needs.

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  12. You are so nice that I'm glad you shared that information to us.because I actually didn't know that poor oral health can cause heart disease.

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  13. Thanks very much for the good share, it helps me a lot for my oral health!

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