Resolve to Smile More…Resolve to Be Healthy

Two of the top five New Year’s resolutions have to do with achieving better health in some way, but what many of those who resolve to be more healthy don’t know is that good overall health begins with great oral health.

The Gateway to Your Body

Many of you are probably wondering how your mouth—a tiny, seemingly insignificant part of the body in the grand scheme of things—can affect the health of your entire body. And really, you have a right to wonder; after all, the mouth-body connection wasn’t officially recognized as a real thing until very recently—within the past 5-10 years, actually.

Your mouth is prone to bacteria build up, and just like in all other areas of your body, if that bacteria is not brought under control, inflammation and infection occur. If your mouth were to become infected, it would hit your gums first. At this stage, you would be diagnosed with gum disease. If not taken care of, gum disease can progress quickly into periodontitis, a condition that is capable of destroying your gums, teeth and entire jawbone structure. But that’s not all—it’s also capable of wreaking havoc on your overall health.

Diabetes

Diabetes is just one of many severe diseases that is linked strongly to periodontitis. People with diabetes have an inability to process sugar because they lack insulin, the hormone that helps our bodies convert sugar into energy. Years of research have proven that when the mouth becomes inflamed, the body’s ability to utilize insulin becomes impaired in return. For an otherwise healthy individual, this is alarming; for an individual suffering from diabetes, this is downright dangerous.

Unfortunately for those who suffer from diabetes, high blood sugar is just one of many ideal breeding grounds for infection within the body. However, there is a bright side: manage both your blood sugar levels and your oral hygiene, and you can bring both under control.

If you suffer from diabetes and your New Year’s resolution was to get healthier, maintaining your smile might just be a step in the right direction!

Heart Disease

The reasons behind the link between periodontitis and heart disease aren’t completely understood yet, but there is no doubting that the link is real. Did you that 91% of individuals who suffer from heart disease also suffer from periodontitis, compared to just 66% of those who don’t have heart disease? While it is true that both conditions can be caused by the same bad habits (smoking, obesity, poor diet…), research suggests that periodontitis might actually be accountable for heart disease in a large number of those individuals who suffer from both.

But how is this possible? Many researchers believe that inflammation in the mouth can cause inflammation in the blood vessels. When the blood vessels are inflamed, less blood is able to travel to the heart, raising blood pressure and, subsequently, increasing risk for heart attack and stroke.

If you want to get healthy this new year, take inventory of your body. If you smoke, are overweight or survive off a poor diet, chances are you show signs of gum disease in its earliest stages, if not have a full-blown case of it. If you can’t tell, check with your dentist. Either way, knowing what is happening in your mouth will give you a pretty good indicator of what is going on inside of your body, and let you put a stop to it before it becomes much worse than swollen gums or a clogged blood vessel or two.  

Pregnancy

Pregnant women tend to suffer from a severe fluctuation of hormones, which does unfortunately increase their risk for periodontitis. This is something that women should pay special attention to because periodontitis has been known to affect the health of a pregnancy. It has even been responsible for premature birth.

If you are pregnant, or plan on becoming pregnant this year, resolve to keep your smile healthy for you, your baby and your entire family.

Other Conditions

Periodontitis has been linked to several other health conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lung conditions and even obesity. Because of the severe risks that gum disease poses to your overall health, it’s imperative that you don’t take chances. When you resolve to be healthier this year, don’t forget that your mouth plays a huge role in that goal, and take care of it accordingly.

Keep Your Resolution This Year By….

Taking good care of your teeth and mouth. Your mouth and body are not separate, and by brushing twice a day, flossing once a day and visiting your dentist at least twice a year, you can ensure that you will be able to keep your health-centered New Year’s resolution. What’s more: you’ll achieve a beautiful smile in the process.

To see how we can help you get healthy and stay healthy this new year, visit http://www.lakeshorefamilydentist.com/library/56/YourFirstDentalVisit.html#.