Poor oral hygiene affects your health
MOST of us know that it is important to regularly brush our teeth to avoid tooth decay. What many people do not realise is that problems with our oral health can adversely affect other parts of the body as well.
Likewise some health conditions affecting other parts of the body affect our oral health.
Oral health is best defined as the health of your mouth, including your teeth, gums, throat and the bones around the mouth.
General diseases that affect the entire body may first become apparent because of mouth lesions or other oral problems. ere may be signs too in your mouth of nutritional deficiencies or general infections.
Regardless of your age, oral health is important. Many people who enjoy good oral health keep their teeth throughout their lives. However, there are many people who develop cavities in their teeth even in childhood and experience problems with their teeth from time to time throughout their lives.
Oral health problems
Oral health problems such as gum disease may be a sign that you have other health problems. Gum diseases are infections caused by plaque, which is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth.
Your oral cavity collects all sorts of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Some of them belong there, making up the normal flora of your mouth. ey are generally harmless in small quantities but a diet high in sugar creates conditions in which acid-producing bacteria can flourish. is acid dissolves tooth enamel and causes cavities.
Bacteria near your gum-line thrive in a sticky matrix called plaque.
Plaque accumulates, hardens and migrates down the length of your tooth if it is not removed regularly by brushing and flossing. is can inflame your gums and cause the condition known as gingivitis.
If this is left untreated, the bacteria in plaque can destroy the tissue and bone around your teeth, leading to tooth loss. e bacteria can travel throughout your body and make you sick. If you are pregnant, infections in your mouth can also affect your unborn baby.
Increased inflammation causes your gums to begin to pull away from your teeth. is process creates pockets in which pus may eventually collect. is more advanced stage of gum disease is called periodontitis.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is a serious gum infection that damages soft tissue and destroys the bone that supports the teeth. is may lead to tooth loss. It is usually the result of poor oral hygiene.
Periodontitis may play a role in diseases such as endocarditis and cardiovascular disease.
Endocarditis is an infection in the inner lining of the heart, which typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of the body, including the mouth, spread through the bloodstream and become attached to damaged areas of the heart.
Pregnancy and birth complications such as premature birth and low birth weight have also sometimes been linked to periodontitis.
Certain bacteria in your mouth can be pulled into your lungs, causing pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
Diabetes
Health conditions that might affect your oral health include diabetes. By reducing the body's resistance to infection, diabetes puts your gums at risk. Gum disease also appears to be more frequent and severe among people who have diabetes.
Research has shown that people, who have gum disease have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels as well.
However, regular periodontal care can improve diabetes control.
Links with other conditions
Oral problems, such as painful mucosal lesions, are common in people who have HIV or Aids.
Osteoporosis, which is a type of bone weakening, is linked with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss. Certain drugs used to treat osteoporosis also carry a small risk of damage to the bones of the jaw.
Research has also revealed that worsening oral health is seen as Alzheimer's disease progresses. Other conditions that might be linked to oral health include eating disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, certain cancers and an immune system disorder that causes dry mouth called Sjogren's syndrome.
Symptoms
Warning signs of gum disease include bleeding when you brush your teeth, bad breath that will not go away and puffy, red, sore, shiny or sensitive gums.
Warning signs of oral cancer include numbness and tingling, open sores that do not go away within a week to 10 days, unexplained bleeding and lumps or a thickening on the bottom or sides of the tongue, cheeks or roof of the mouth.
Practising good oral hygiene
You can practise good oral hygiene by always brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
You can also clean between your teeth once a day with dental floss.
Use mouthwash to remove food particles left after brushing and flossing.
Eat a healthy diet and limit sugary food and drinks. Cavities in children’s teeth are often the result of eating lots of sweets.
Encourage your children to eat fruits rather than sweets.
If you smoke cigarettes, you may also seriously consider limiting tobacco use or even cutting it out altogether.
Replacing your toothbrush every three or four months is important. So too is eating a balanced diet and limiting betweenmeal snacks.
Keeping your mouth healthy is a daily commitment. A dental hygienist can teach you how to properly take care of your teeth and gums on a daily basis.
However, regular teeth brushing and removing particles of food from between your teeth either with your toothbrush or dental floss is the most important thing, as well as avoiding eating too many sweets.
e information in this article is provided as a public service by the Cimas iGo Wellness programme, which is designed to promote good health. It is provided for general information only and should not be construed as medical advice. Readers should consult their doctor or clinic on any matter related to their health or the treatment of any health problem. — igo@cimas.co.zw or WhatsApp 0772 161 829 or phone 024-2773 0663