The Connection Between Oral Health and Overall Health

Sunshine Dental, Inc is one of the best oral health providers in Temecula, California. Oral health is very important for anyone who wants to maintain good overall health.

What most people do not know is that the connection between oral health and overall health is very important. Just because you exercise and eat right does not mean your mouth will be in good health as well.

Dental hygiene is a separate, yet crucial, part of overall health with special needs and processes. When it comes down to it, what is in your mouth will determine much about your health.

The following should help you see the connection between oral and overall health:

Food

The entry point of food into the body is, of course, the mouth. The food you put into your mouth will affect your body in a variety of ways.

If you do not have proper dental hygiene, the food put into your body will be affected. It may lead to an infection of your digestive system in dire cases.

The food you eat also has to be chewed before you swallow. In fact, most of your digestion happens in the mouth.

If your oral health is poor, it will affect how digestion happens in the mouth, causing improper digestion of food, and ultimately lead to damaging of your digestive tract and overall health.

Inflammation

One of the most common causes of disease in the body is inflammation. If you experience inflammation in any body part, then it is a sign that it is not healthy.

Lack of proper dental hygiene will increase the chances of being inflamed in other parts of the body. It is especially because food in a dirty mouth attracts many types of harmful bacteria that can spread elsewhere. When they do, the rest of your body is at risk of infection and inflammation. Therefore, by keeping your mouth clean, the rest of your body is likely to remain disease-free.

Plaque

The buildup of plaque is one of the most prevalent reasons for dental disorders. Plaque can lead to more serious cases if not comprehensively eradicated with proper dental hygiene.

Plaque can lead to gum infections in the short term and loss of teeth in the long run. When the buildup becomes uncontrolled, more solemn diseases are imminent.

Oral health issues have been shown to exacerbate other medical conditions such as cardiovascular conditions and diabetes. It may also lead to premature births and smaller than usual babies at childbirth.

Cancer

Cancer is the growth of harmful cells in the body. Oral cancers are a sure thing if you have poor oral health.

The danger with cancers is that they spread very easily, especially if the conditions are conducive. Cancer may start in the mouth, but due to the heavy mouth activity, it may spread to more conducive regions of the body.

When the rest of your body has cancerous cells, it will lead to death if not recognized early. Therefore, proper oral hygiene may prevent deadly cancers and ensure overall health.