Oral health and overall wellness are closely linked. For instance, bacteria, inflammation, and infection can travel from the mouth to other parts of the body. Similarly, a healthy diet and gut affect the state of your mouth.
As a result, it’s important to make lifestyle choices that support both your oral health and your overall health. This includes consuming a variety of nutritious foods, abstaining from tobacco use, practising at-home oral hygiene habits, and visiting your dentist at Oakville every six months for a cleaning and checkup.
The health of your mouth can have a considerable impact on your overall wellness—and vice versa! Your mouth is, of course, the gateway to the rest of your body.
It connects directly to your digestive tract and respiratory system, as well as your circulatory system via the tiny blood vessels in your gums. This means that oral bacteria can travel to other parts of the body, resulting in negative health consequences beyond the mouth.
Every mouth is full of oral bacteria. It’s naturally occurring and, in most cases, nothing to be afraid of. Natural processes, like saliva production, and consistent dental hygiene habits keep these germs in check.
However, improper dental hygiene, dehydration, and even some medications can lead to bacterial overgrowth. This increases your risk of developing an oral health condition, like tooth decay or gum disease, as well as health issues elsewhere in the body.
When oral bacteria are permitted to flourish and get out of control, it can spread to other areas of your body. It enters the bloodstream through your gums before being transported via your circulatory system, ending up in critical places like your heart. The bacteria can also enter your lungs, stomach, and intestines. In pregnant people, these germs can even travel to your unborn baby.
Saliva is the body’s natural defence against oral bacterial overgrowth. The saliva constantly washes away bacteria, food residue, and acids, which is crucial for maintaining balanced oral bacteria. Drinking water has the same effect. As a result, you can combat oral bacteria by staying hydrated and regularly drinking water.
When you get dehydrated, your body struggles to produce the necessary saliva. You develop a dry mouth, which is the perfect environment for oral bacteria. Therefore, drinking enough water is extremely important, both for rinsing away food particles and supporting saliva production.
A consistent and thorough oral hygiene regime is also crucial. Without strong dental habits, it’s impossible to keep the germs in your mouth from multiplying to out-of-control levels. You’ll encounter oral health issues and, potentially, severe problems in other parts of your body.
You must maintain proper at-home habits, like brushing your teeth, flossing, and limiting your intake of sugar. Furthermore, regular visits to your Oakville dentist are non-negotiable. Make sure you’re visiting us every six months for a professional cleaning and examination.
Poor oral health has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Gum disease, in particular, is associated with cardiovascular disease, which is the second leading cause of death in Canada.
Periodontitis (gum disease) causes inflammation in the gums. The bacteria from this inflammation can enter your bloodstream and travel to the heart’s arteries. There, it contributes to the buildup of plaque and the hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which restricts or blocks blood flow. Heart attacks and strokes can soon follow.
Unfortunately, diabetes and periodontal disease are closely entwined. Diabetic patients are more susceptible to periodontal disease. Meanwhile, periodontal disease can worsen diabetes by affecting blood glucose control and causing insulin resistance.
Consequently, those with diabetes have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels. This means that maintaining good oral health is crucial for both preventing the onset and the worsening of diabetes.
When you breathe, tiny droplets of saliva can be inhaled into the lungs. If this saliva contains oral bacteria, it can cause respiratory problems. Although healthy lungs have protective defences to deal with this, it’s harder for damaged lungs. If you already have lung problems, these oral bacteria invasions can worsen things.
Gum disease can also worsen asthma and chronic lung inflammation. Infected and inflamed gums send out distress signals, causing inflammation to spike elsewhere in the body.
Just as food travels from the mouth to the stomach, so can bacteria. Poor oral health can introduce harmful oral bacteria into the gut. However, unhealthy gut flora can also compromise your oral health.
In some cases, tooth decay is a result of an imbalance in the microbiome in the gut. Numerous cavities, bad breath, and signs of gum disease can point to a digestive system issue.
Therefore, it’s very important to maintain your oral health with proper hygiene habits and eat a balanced, nutritious diet that supports gut health.
You should consume a diet that benefits your oral health and your gut. This means limiting your sugar intake and eating high-fibre and fermented foods. Eating a wide variety of plant foods is also crucial for a healthy gut.
Oral cancer is extremely serious and, if left untreated, can spread to other parts of the body. This is one reason why regular dentist appointments are so important. During your routine examination or checkup with our dentist in Oakville, we check for signs of oral cancer, such as lumps or speckled patches. Early detection is crucial for effective treatment.
Tobacco use, high alcohol consumption, HPV (human papillomavirus infection), sun exposure, poor diet, and poor oral hygiene can all lead to the development of oral cancer. Quitting smoking significantly reduces your risk.
During pregnancy, you experience many hormonal changes that can affect your oral health. For instance, you become more vulnerable to plaque buildup, which can cause swollen, sore, and bleeding gums. This is so common that it even has a name: pregnancy gingivitis.
To make matters worse, morning sickness can cause your oral hygiene habits to falter. Some pregnant people struggle to brush or floss their teeth because of extreme nausea. In this case, contact your Oakville dentist for tips on how to care for your teeth during pregnancy.
Additionally, gum disease increases the risk of premature birth and low birth weight. You should notify your dentist if you’re pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant so we can take extra steps to ensure your oral health and a healthy pregnancy.
Oakville Place Dental is your local dental care specialist in Oakville. We offer a broad range of comprehensive services to care for the health of your mouth throughout your life. Plus, our comfortable and modern office is a welcoming place for patients of all ages, including children.
At Oakville Place Dental, our philosophy is simple: we want you to have a positive and pain-free experience without dental anxiety or financial stress. That’s why we take steps to work with your insurance company, billing them directly for applicable services whenever possible.
Your oral health is an integral aspect of overall wellness. So, whether it’s a routine check-up or restorative treatment, your oral care is in good hands with us. We also have a dedicated emergency dentist in Oakville so you can receive proper care when you need it most.
To make an appointment with our Oakville dentist, call Oakville Place Dental at 905-842-6030 or contact us here.
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