The connection between oral health and overall health
Melbourne Dental Family Care understands the need for drawing lines between how oral health can have an effect on your overall health may seem to be odd. The benefits an oral health therapy can bring to your well-being is enormous. Scheduling regular visits to your family dentist at Melbourne Dental Family Care not only prevents tooth decay, root canal problems and inflammatory conditions like gingivitis but they can also track if any other health issues’ onset. While many do not realise, oral health services play a vital role in the overall well-being of the body. An oral health specialist is trained in identifying health conditions including Endocarditis, Cardiovascular disease, Pneumonia, Diabetes and even HIV/AIDS. Whereas, a Paediatric dentist can identify root canal rotting, tooth decay and gum disorders, saving time and money on expensive and painful processes.
Dentists and dental hygienists at Melbourne Dental Family Care highlight the importance of oral health for children and adults and why you should be booking a dental appointment right away!
How Oral Health Affects Overall Health
The mouth is the entry point for our digestive system as well as the respiratory system. The fact that it is subjected to bacteria from food and environment makes it highly vulnerable to decaying, rotting and inflammation due to bacterial actions.
Practising daily dental hygiene practices like brushing your teeth, flossing and keeping the tongue clean goes a long way in maintaining proper oral health. It also helps in keeping enamel (shiny and tough natural layer protecting every tooth) in good health. With the passage of time, bacteria develop resistance towards daily dental hygiene products and starts attacking tooth, gum and tongue. These bacteria also retain acidity in the mouth resulting in enamel damage and creating an ambience for further bacterial growth. Children are more prone to such bacterial attacks. Melbourne Dental Family Care understands that tooth decay in children is a common dental issue. Aside from bacterial resistance, medications such as decongestants, painkillers, diuretics, antihistamines and antidepressants cause saliva to thin. Saliva helps in food chewing and also neutralises acid reactions that bacteria cause in the mouth. Thinning of saliva results in improper spread throughout the oral cavity leaving room for bacterial growth and acidic actions. This results in tooth-rotting, gum diseases and tongue infections.
What are the health conditions a dentist or a dental hygienist at Melbourne Dental Family Care can identify?
While it may seem that your dentist or the dental hygienist is just checking for damaged tooth, nerves or treating bad breath, the truth is a dentist can see into your health conditions way before the issues mark their presence.
The various health conditions that your dentist can identify are:
Endocarditis is when bacteria attacks the lining of the heart chamber or valves making them weak. This heart condition is often caused due to bacterial action clinging to your heart’s lining and valves.
Pregnancy and birth complications can be detected early by your dentist. Periodontitis is when the gum swell and experience inflammation. Another troubling dental condition often common during pregnancy is gingivitis. Early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions by the dentist or the dental hygienist prevent the spread and prolonged suffering.
Pancreatic cancer can also be identified by a dentist by carefully observing the degree of gum decay and inflammation desire maintaining proper dental hygiene. Similarly, Kidney related disorders too can be identified by the dentist after careful and close examination nature of bacteria attacking gums, tongue and teeth.
Diabetes too can be detected by the dentist or the dental hygienist by examining the flow of saliva and its consistency. Furthermore, conditions like ulcers, infections, soreness and tooth decay along with a decrease in the flow of saliva are strong indications of diabetes.
HIV/AIDS grips many people in the world. A dentist may look for common symptoms such as dry mouth, thrush. white lesions formation on the sides of the tongue (oral hairy leukoplakia) and check for red band gingivitis when inspecting your mouth.
Eating disorders often impact your oral health. In case of anorexia/bulimia (when the person refrains from eating for long in fear of gaining weight) the stomach acids that flush out with the vomit pass through the mouth carry the potential to erode and thin tooth enamel, causing cavities, tooth discolouration and in worst cases, tooth loss.
Oral health issues that are caused as a result of medication for conditions such as painkillers, diuretics, decongestants, antihistamines and antidepressants can cause saliva to thin thereby creating opportunities for oral infections and diseases to surface.
Your family dentist or dental hygienist at Melbourne Dental Family Care is aware of your medical history, they keep that in mind when they are inspecting your mouth. In case you are visiting a dentist or a dental hygienist for the first time in Melbourne, it is always wise to tell them about your medical history with diseases or disorders that need attention at all times.
5 Tips on How to Protect Your Teeth from Damage from Melbourne Dental Family Care :
- Brush regularly, twice a day at least! Brushing your teeth takes away plaque and food partials. Not only does this prevents damage to teeth and gums but also protects from tartar formation
- The toothpaste will need at least half a minute with your oral cavity to cast its protective spell. Don’t rinse immediately. The toothpaste has minerals your gums and teeth might not get otherwise. Letting toothpaste stay for a little longer before rinsing them ensures they act to their best
- Flossing is important. A good quality floss wire ensures your tooth does not have food particles left to rot
- Visit your dentist more frequently. The best way to keep your oral hygiene in check is by visiting your dentist for a regular dental check-up
- Avoid smoking. It can cause oral cancer and may even damage the gums, teeth enamel and cause yellowing.
Conclusion
Our expert team of dentists and dental hygienist at Melbourne Dental Family Care can help you understand your overall health better. It is often said that the mouth is where the body’s health originates. Taking good care of oral hygiene ensures you do not suffer in pain or have issues like bad breath. Learnt enough? Book your dental appointment today!