The New Year is a time of reflection. Pondering the previous year, while making changes and goals for the upcoming year. It’s not uncommon to create a health plan that includes healthy eating and getting more exercise. As I get older, the more I seem to appreciate good food. Cooking with fresh ingredients of herbs and spices take ordinary to extraordinary. How often do we consider the process of eating? After food enters the mouth, it’s our teeth that are responsible for the first phase of the digestive process. Yet, how many people put improving their oral health on that New Year’s Plan?
A healthy mouth is a great asset.
Our teeth have such an important role to play in our lives. They help us chew and digest food, they help us to talk and speak clearly and they also give our face its shape.
A smile also has other day-to-day benefits. It can give us greater confidence, as well as influence our social lives, careers and relationships.
Growing old is a luxury some people never get to experience. But for those that do, having teeth is golden. We aren’t born with teeth because an infant only needs milk for the first half of their first year. Then teeth begin to emerge so the child can begin to experience table foods and take in more nutritious foods.
In the teenage years, the primary (baby) teeth are lost and permanent teeth appear. These teeth are meant to last a lifetime; however, poor lifestyle choices often result in tooth loss. This loss results in a failure to masticate food appropriately, and consequently, the stomach has to work harder because the food is basically swallowed whole.
Chewing is essential for the muscles of the face. Just like working out at the gym, chewing is a workout for our facial muscles. Teeth also provide support for our lips and jaw and give the face its shape. When some of the teeth are lost and not replaced, pressure and chewing forces are then placed on the remaining teeth. This leads to breakdown of those teeth left behind.
Ask your oral health professional about the health of your mouth. Many folks think that bleeding gums are “normal” because the gums have bled all their life, however, if your scalp bled every time you combed your hair, wouldn’t you be alarmed? Bleeding is a sign of disease. Halitosis (bad breath) is also a sign that disease is present. There continues to be research that supports the oral/systemic link. The mouth is not separate from the body and the condition of the mouth says a lot about the condition of the body.
What conditions can be linked to oral health? This according to the Mayo Clinic:
· Endocarditis. This infection of the inner lining of your heart chambers or valves (endocardium) typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to certain areas in your heart.
· Cardiovascular disease. Although the connection is not fully understood, some research suggests that heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke might be linked to the inflammation and infections that oral bacteria can cause.
· Pregnancy and birth complications. Periodontitis has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
· Pneumonia. Certain bacteria in your mouth can be pulled into your lungs, causing pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
Certain conditions also might affect your oral health, including:
· Diabetes. By reducing the body's resistance to infection, diabetes puts your gums at risk. Gum disease appears to be more frequent and severe among people who have diabetes.
Research shows that people who have gum disease have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels. Regular periodontal care can improve diabetes control.
· HIV/AIDS. Oral problems, such as painful mucosal lesions, are common in people who have HIV/AIDS.
· Osteoporosis. This bone-weakening disease is linked with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss. Certain drugs used to treat osteoporosis carry a small risk of damage to the bones of the jaw.
· Alzheimer's disease. Worsening oral health is seen as Alzheimer's disease progresses.
For more information about your oral health, consult your dental hygienist. Ask questions and seek to understand what’s happening in your mouth. Remember oral health is a window into how the rest of the body is doing.
Health bite: Pink, healthy gums mean healthy body