When people talk about what affects their health, many things come to mind: a good diet, regular exercise, and peace of mind. But one thing that’s often overlooked is oral health. Now, you may be wondering what oral health has to do with your overall health and well-being. Well, you’ll be surprised by the answer. Your oral health is linked to almost every system of your body.

Although dental care is becoming more accessible and awareness is growing, certain states are still falling behind. Georgia, for example, has fewer dentists per 100,000 residents compared to other states. So, in this article today, we’ll be discussing the importance of oral health and how it relates to your overall wellness – and why it should never be neglected. Read on to find out more!

  1. Psychological Well-being

You might not know this, but your oral health can affect your psychological well-being. How? Well, when your oral health suffers, it can lower your quality of life or worsen existing mental health problems. Here’s an example:

Say you’re unhappy with your smile – your gums bleed, and you have a visible cavity on your front tooth. This might make you feel embarrassed about your poor oral hygiene and may trigger social anxiety in public places. This means you’ll avoid social interaction, and become isolated, further damaging your mental health. But on the other hand, if you have good teeth, you’ll feel more self-confident and may thrive in social settings.

In a place like Georgia, where anxiety disorders are more prevalent, you might want to visit your family dentist. And in this digital age of smartphones, finding an experienced dentist is not difficult. If you reside in the charming city of Savannah, it’s as simple as looking up Savannah best family dentistry near me.

  1. Heart Disease

Your mouth contains bacteria, but don’t worry; they’re mostly harmless. This is because bacteria are normally kept under control by the body’s own internal defenses, along with proper oral hygiene, like flossing and brushing your teeth. But without good oral hygiene, plaque can build up and cause harm.

One of the major complications of this plaque buildup is a nasty heart disease in at-risk patients called bacterial endocarditis. This happens when the plaque bacteria travel through the bloodstream and cause an infection in the heart’s valves.

Given that research shows an apparent connection between healthy gums and a healthy heart, it’s necessary to maintain good oral health by brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist regularly. Otherwise, plaque will build up and cause gum disease. If you’re worried about your gum health, check if you have bleeding or swollen gums, foul breath, or receding gum, as these signs indicate gum disease.

  1. Diabetes

If you don’t already know, diabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels spike above typical levels, causing all sorts of potentially dangerous problems in your body. But surprisingly, there’s a link between oral health and diabetes that most people are unaware of.

If your diabetes is uncontrolled, it can cause all kinds of problems in your mouth. Since high blood sugar makes your mouth dry, your teeth are more prone to cavities and other oral infections. And since diabetes reduces the body’s resistance to fight off infection, people with this condition tend to have poorer oral health and slower healing time and need extra care to ensure their teeth and gums are healthy.

But it doesn’t end there; the reverse is true, too. Poor oral health can also influence blood sugar management. The bacteria from your mouth can cause inflammation, leading to insulin resistance, making blood sugar levels rise. That’s why diabetics or pre-diabetics should pay close attention to their oral health.

  1. Pregnancy

A mother experiences many body changes during pregnancy, thanks to all the pregnancy hormones progesterone and estrogen. These can affect the body’s response to plaque bacteria, causing mouth diseases like gingivitis and even overgrowth of the gums. Also, with pregnancy cravings, a change of diet, and morning sickness, pregnant women are more prone to tooth decay and erosion.

But also, being pregnant increases your chances of developing oral health issues, which can impact your pregnancy. Some research shows there’s a connection between gum disease and preterm delivery, which is when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. These babies might face more health issues at birth or later in life than full-term babies.

  1. Nutrition

Your nutritional intake could be affected by poor oral health, and the explanation is quite simple. We all know you need healthy, strong teeth to eat your food. If your teeth are loose, painful, or even missing, chances are you won’t be eating enough of what you need. This leads to a condition known as malnutrition. Malnutrition is defined as inadequacy, excess, or disparities in a person’s energy or nutrient intake, which can have serious health consequences.

Poor nutrition can also impact your dental and oral health when the situation is reversed. You need adequate nutrition to fight off infections and diseases of the mouth, and in kids, proper nutrition is needed for the healthy development of the oral cavity and jaws.

  1. Shared Risk Factors

Another way oral health and general wellness are related is that they share common risk factors for disease. This means there are many factors that affect both oral health and your general health.

Tobacco use, for example, is a factor that can increase your risk for oral diseases like gum disease or oral cancers, while it also affects your health as a whole, contributing to respiratory diseases, heart diseases, and more. Similarly, drinking too much alcohol not only causes cavities, gum disease, and cancers of the oral cavity, but it also damages the liver, deteriorates the immune system, and may aid in the progression of other cancers.

Conclusion

To sum it up, there’s an undeniable link between our oral health and general well-being. Taking good care of your mouth and teeth have far more consequences than just a pretty smile – and in some cases, it could mean life or death.

But the good thing is, taking care of your oral health isn’t that hard. So, what can you do? The first thing would be to start with the basics. Brush your teeth twice a day and floss them every day. Next, eat a healthy diet, limiting sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes and choosing healthy snacks in between if needed. And don’t forget to schedule your dental checkup every 6 months. Following these practices will help you achieve a healthy mouth, mind, and body.