Impact of Oral Health on General Health
Did you know that the health of your oral cavity is an important indicator of your overall well being?
Maintenance of oral and general health are synergistic actions.
The oral cavity is the entry point to the respiratory & digestive tracts.
Certain oral health conditions that can impact your overall health are given below:
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Endocarditis: Our mouths are home to a variety of bacteria. When the bacteria in the mouth spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream, it can cause an inflammation of the lining of the heart chambers, scientifically called as Endocarditis.
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Pneumonia: Similarly, when the bacteria of the oral cavity spread to the lungs, it can causes a respiratory condition called pneumonia. Hence, maintenance of oral hygiene should be taken seriously.
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Pregnancy & Pre-term Low Birth Weight Babies: Gum disease is a common occurence among pregnant women. About 40-50% pregnant women with gum disease give birth prematurely and the infants are shown to have low birth weight.
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Oral Cancer: Your everyday habits also impact your oral and general health. Smoking and alcohol consumption can lead to a serious cancerous condition of the oral cavity. The highest number of oral cancer cases in the world have been reported in India.
Just like your oral health can have implications on your general health, certain medical conditions can also manifest with symptoms in the oral cavity. A few of these conditions are listed below.
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Diabetes: A study showed that about 60% of diabetics suffered from gum disease at some point. Vice versa, maintaining gum health has shown to reduce blood sugar levels significantly.
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Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a condition where bones start to lose calcium, becoming weak and porous. It can affect all bones including the jaw bone. The jaw bone is home to all our teeth and weak jaw bones can cause :
1) Loose and mobile teeth
2) Gum diseases
3) Difficulty in rehabilitation of teeth and implant placement as implants require good quality bone.
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HIV: The immuno compromised patients of HIV/AIDS often present with painful mucosal lesions and ulcers. They take a longer time to heal than in normal individuals.
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Medications: Many medications show side effects on the oral cavity, like dry mouth, inflamed gums, stained teeth & ulcers.
Hence, it is very important to let your dentist know if you are on any medications.
The take home point here is that if you take of your body, it'll take care of you.
Regular dental check ups are not only important for your oral health, but also for your overall well being.