Oral Hygiene and Your Health

Brushing your teeth, flossing and visiting your dentist regularly keep our teeth and gums healthy, but according to a new study, oral hygiene is also extremely important for our overall health.
The mouth is a portal to the rest of the body and there is a link between bacteria and the inflammation that bacteria cause and a lot of other diseases - say the Colorado sedation dentist specialists.
Diabetes
A 2011 study found that dentists can identify people with diabetes 73% of the time, based on missing teeth and examining abnormal openings between teeth and gums. When doctors also considered the results of blood tests, the accuracy increased to 92%.
Heart disease
Several studies have linked periodontal disease, which is a chronic gum infection, with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The reason for this association is not very clear. Some researchers have suggested that bacteria in the mouth may find their way into the bloodstream.
Respiratory diseases
Bacteria in the mouth can reach the lungs, causing pneumonia or other serious respiratory illnesses. The risk of this happening is higher in people who have conditions that compromise their immune system.
Knee arthritis
A 2012 study suggested that oral bacteria may contribute to some cases of osteoarthritis of the knee and rheumatoid arthritis. But because the study's coverage has been limited, more research is needed to prove that bacteria in the mouth cause or worsen arthritis.









