If you had an infected wound, say on your hand – you'd likely be concerned and treat it until it was healed. Our mouths, unfortunately, don't typically receive this same type of urgency.

It could be because looking inside our mouth is tricky, or maybe it's because things like cavities and gum issues are so every day that we underestimate their importance. But here's the thing: these illnesses can affect our whole body's health.

Many cultures look at the condition of the mouth and tongue as a part of diagnosing whole-body health. This isn't a common practice in modern Western medicine. But what we do know is science has linked the health of our mouth with systemic diseases, like heart diseases, cancers, Alzheimer's, and numerous inflammatory conditions.

Why Your Mouth Matters:

Cavities and gum disease are prevalent. According to the CDC, almost everyone has had a cavity; 1 in 4 people have cavities that haven't been fixed, and half of these individuals over 30 have gum disease.

Recent studies also found the same microbial culprits causing gum diseases were also found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. Meaning gum disease is linked as one possible cause of Alzheimer's.

Your dentist might have told you that an unhealthy mouth can lead to many diseases. Poor oral health is linked to a higher chance of:

●      Heart Disease

●      Cancer

●      Diabetes

●      Pneumonia

●      Osteoprosis

●      Alzheimer's

●      And there's more!

How Your Mouth Messes with Your Body:

Even though we don't know all the tiny details, we do know that an unhealthy mouth can cause illness in the rest of the body.

For example, gum disease can affect blood sugar levels, making diabetes more likely. This is a two-way street; if you have diabetes, it's harder for your body to fight off infections, increasing the risk of gum disease. If you have gum disease, you're more likely to develop diabetes.

So, whether it's a hurting tooth or gum disease, your body doesn't like infections in your mouth. Infections stimulate your immune system. Chronic inflammation causes a cascade of chemical responses in the body that can damage tissues.

Your circulatory system can cause these pathogens and inflammatory byproducts to travel to other places throughout your body. The blood that moves through your heart is the same blood that passes through these sites of infection.

What Can You Do?

Your mouth is as essential as the rest of your body. If you ignore the health of your mouth this can lead to feeling less energetic and sick, because your body is constantly at battle fighting an infection.

Here's the plan for a healthy mouth:

Eat Good Food and Make Healthy Choices:

Choose good nourishing foods and maintain stable blood sugar with healthy meals.

Lower Stress:

Chronic stress makes it difficult for our bodies to rest and repair to overcome illnesses and injuries. Try to get plenty of rest and quality sleep.

Brush and Floss Your Teeth:

Keep your mouth clean by brushing and flossing. This will help prevent the accumulation of foods and plaques that can lead to cavities and gum disease.

Visit the Dentist Regularly:

Go to the dentist often to catch any problems early. A healthy mouth is an essential part of staying healthy.

Salem Dental

We are a friendly dental family serving the dental needs of the beautiful community of Salem, MA. If you need a dentist in Salem, you can reach us here.