Getting adults motivated to visit their local dentist is sometimes (pun intended) akin to pulling teeth. However, we should understand that oral health is essential to general health and well-being. It is important to increase oral health literacy to maintain our teeth in optimal condition. In addition, oral health literacy should be enhanced so we improve and maintain our teeth beyond the dental chair to avoid dental emergencies and potentially extensive, invasive dental procedures typically associated with daily neglect. A higher dental “IQ” also enables patients to make informed health-related decisions that will contribute to total body wellness.
To understand how the mouth can affect the body, it helps to understand oral bacteria. The bacteria feed off the foods we eat and create acid waste that literally eats away at the mineral content of our teeth causing tooth decay. These same bacteria and their byproducts create an irritating environment for our gums that surround the teeth, making them prone to gum disease, which manifests itself with bleeding and infection. Gum disease exists in more than one form. When food debris sits between the teeth and below the gum line from lack of flossing, the gums first become red, puffy and irritated, and often bleed. This reversible condition is called gingivitis. The more severe form of gum disease is called periodontitis. When we reach this stage, our gums begin to pull away from our teeth. Pockets form between our teeth and gums and deepen over time leading to bone loss. Bone loss due to periodontitis is a permanent condition.
The relationship between diabetes and periodontitis may be the strongest of all the connections between the mouth and body. Inflammation that starts in the mouth seems to weaken the body’s ability to control blood sugar. Like all infections, serious gum disease may be a factor in causing blood sugar1. A class of carbohydrates with a sweet taste, including glucose, fructose and sucrose. 2. A term used to refer to blood glucose.X to rise and may make diabetes harder to control. Not only are people with diabetes more susceptible to serious gum disease, but serious gum disease may have the potential to affect blood glucose. Poorly controlled diabetes resulting from improper diet or lack of an adequate medication regimen, causes delayed healing in the mouth; therefore, a little plaque causes a lot of oral pathologic symptoms.the main sugar found in the blood and the body’s main source of energy for organ function. The inability to properly maintain blood glucose coupled with a lack of optimal oral health leaves patients with diabetes more susceptible to bacterial infection throughout the body and leaves patients with a diminishes the immune system’s ability to even fight bacteria that invade the gums. Fortunately, we can use the gum disease-diabetes relationship to our favor: managing one can help bring the other under control. the amount of glucose in a given amount of blood. It is noted in milligrams in a deciliter, or mg/dL.
Optimal dental care also goes hand-in-hand with cardiac health. There is a link between heart disease and poor oral health. Since hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is one of the major risk factors of heart disease, evidence is now showing that hypertension may also occur as a result of poor oral health.
When we suffer from poor oral health, our teeth will accumulate tartar and plaque build up. When left untreated, plaque will eventually enter blood vessels throughout the rest of the body and build up on the insides of artery walls. Since blood has to work harder to travel through arteries, the arteries sustain damage, which results in high blood pressure, restricted blood flow, and a higher risk for heart disease.
Conversely, physicians assert that high blood pressure may lead to poor oral health and not the other way around, since many medications used to treat hypertension can result in dry mouth and difficulty with chewing, which inhibits the flow of saliva and spurs bacteria growth.
We can take measures to manage our overall health that will benefit our teeth and vice versa. First, we must brush with a fluoridated toothpaste. Fluoride strengthens our outer most layer of tooth enamel to prevent decay. We must also commit to consistent, thorough tooth brushing and flossing to reduce dental plaque and prevent gum disease. We must also avoid tobacco and limit alcohol. Heavy tobacco and alcohol use are also risk factors for cancers and poor organ function. We must eat wisely. The recommended five-a-day helping of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables stimulates salivary flow to aid remineralization of tooth surfaces and ward off tooth decay. Finally, visit both the dentist and primary care physician regularly. Check-ups can detect early signs of oral health problems and can lead to treatments that will prevent further damage, and in some cases, reverse the problem. The medical and dental professionals can work together to develop a health care plan that contributes to thriving longevity.
LaToya Wilson, DMD
General Dentist
St Louis Children’s Hospital
Child Health Advocacy and Outreach Department
