Your Oral Hygiene Routine
Maintaining good oral hygiene is a reliable predictor of better dental health outcomes. If you develop good oral hygiene habits, you are more likely to retain your teeth as you age. Since dental health affects overall physical well-being, adopting good oral hygiene practices can have a positive impact on your overall health.
A Healthy Salivary Flow
Saliva is a useful tool for doctors and dentists to identify and diagnose diseases before symptoms appear.
Moreover, saliva can prevent bacteria and viruses from entering your body. It acts as one of your body's main defenses against disease-causing organisms.
Saliva contains antibodies that fight against viruses like the common cold and HIV. It also has enzymes that destroy bacteria in various ways, such as breaking down bacterial membranes, disrupting important bacterial enzymes, and slowing down the growth and metabolism of certain bacteria.
Keeping your salivary flow healthy is simple for most people. The key is to stay hydrated! Ensure you drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day to maintain a healthy salivary flow.
Dental Plaque & Infection
Your mouth contains more than 500 types of bacteria that constantly create dental plaque, a sticky film without color that clings to your teeth and leads to various health issues.
By neglecting regular and thorough brushing and flossing, you allow dental plaque to accumulate between your gums and teeth, eventually resulting in a gum infection called gingivitis. If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to a more severe infection known as periodontitis or gum disease.
If you have periodontitis, undergoing dental treatment or simply brushing your teeth can open a gateway for the abundant bacteria in your mouth to enter your bloodstream.
When your immune system is strong and healthy, the presence of oral bacteria in your bloodstream won't cause any problems. However, if your immune system is weakened due to a disease or cancer treatment, the oral bacteria in your bloodstream might cause infections in other parts of your body.
A specific example of this is infective endocarditis, where oral bacteria enter the bloodstream and attach to the lining of damaged heart valves.
Dental Plaque's Link to Common Conditions
Having a healthy mouth may help you ward off certain diseases and medical problems such as stroke, heart attack, complications related to diabetes, and even pre-term labour.
Poorly Controlled Diabetes
Chronic gum disease may make diabetes more difficult to control. The infection may cause insulin resistance, which can disrupt blood sugar control.
Cardiovascular Disease
It's worth noting that the presence of bacteria in the mouth could lead to inflammation in various parts of the body, including the arteries. This suggests that gingivitis might be a contributing factor to the formation of blood clots and clogged arteries. Furthermore, gum disease and tooth loss could also play a role in the development of plaque buildup in the carotid artery.