Not many people are able to readily appreciate the importance of dental health in relation to overall health. This is probably because of the common tendency to separate the mouth from the rest of the body when it comes to medical care. Those who are entertaining this idea may do well to consider the possible risks of not paying proper attention to dental problems.
The Window to Overall Health
If our eyes are the windows to our souls, then oral health is said to be the window to our overall health. The condition of our mouth, teeth, and gums can indicate the state of our general health. Also, unchecked dental problems can lead to serious health problems.
Mouth and gum infections that are allowed to progress can effectively lower a person’s natural resistance to diseases. Some of the diseases that have been confirmed to have been directly caused or aggravated by poor dental health include endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, and early onset of Alzheimer’s disease particularly for those who had complete tooth loss before reaching the age of 35. Poor dental health may also lead to health problems and complications related to premature birth and low birth weight, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and osteoporosis, among others. Mouth, teeth, and gum problems may just be an early indication of these mentioned health conditions.
How to Handle Dental Health Care
Care for dental health is not only the job of our dentists. We can avoid serious dental health problems by making sure that we do our part. Good oral hygiene is the foundation of proper dental care.
It is no secret that dental services are not cheap but costs can easily double or triple if we do not take preventive measures early on. Brushing teeth at least twice a day and eating a healthy diet are highly recommended by professional dentists. Scheduling regular visits to the dentists both for preventive and corrective purposes will ensure that patients will be alerted should there be any other cause for concern.
Quality of Life
Poor dental health may mean a lot of pain, discomfort, insecurity, embarrassment, and illness. All of these affect the quality of life of people and to think that they can be prevented by just paying more attention to our dental health. We cannot separate oral health from the rest of our health concerns if we are looking into achieving overall well-being.
About the Author
Jessie Flesner is a freelance writer in New Albany, Indiana. She often writes about the dental industry for pdentalinc.com.
Originally posted on November 11, 2013 @ 11:50 am