Do Dental Cleanings Really Matter?
The link between oral health and the rest of your body is stronger than most patients realize. For patients in Littleton, CO, regular dental cleanings at a trusted Littleton dentist can help maintain healthy teeth and gums while supporting your overall oral health.
The Link Between Oral and Systemic Health
Your mouth is the gateway to your entire body. Taking care of your teeth and gums does much more than just keep your smile bright – it protects your overall health.
The Oral Bacteria and Inflammation Connection
Inside a healthy mouth, bacteria are kept under control. However, when you have gum disease, harmful bacteria multiply rapidly.
- The bloodstream highway: If your gums bleed during brushing or flossing, this is a sign of gum disease. Bleeding gums allow harmful bacteria to enter your bloodstream.
- Body-wide inflammation: These bacteria travel to other organs, causing swelling and inflammation throughout your entire body.
How Your Mouth Affects Your Whole Body
Scientists have found that gum disease is closely linked to several serious health conditions, due to oral bacteria transferring into the bloodstream:
Heart Disease
Diabetes
Brain Health
Pregnancy
Weight & joints
- Heart disease: Mouth bacteria can stick to blood vessels, raising your risk of heart attacks and clogged arteries.
- Diabetes: Gum disease makes it much harder to control your blood sugar levels, and uncontrolled blood sugar is linked to a worsened prognosis for gum disease.
- Brain health: Severe oral inflammation is linked to memory issues and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Pregnancy: Active mouth infections can lead to premature births or babies born too small.
- Weight & joints: Gum disease can worsen obesity, liver health, and painful joint conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
Simple Steps to Lower Your Risk
You can lower your risk for these full-body health issues with four basic habits:
- Brush your teeth for two full minutes, twice every day.
- Floss daily to remove hidden bacteria between teeth – 30% of each tooth cannot be cleaned by brushing alone.
- Visit your dentist every six months for regular checkups.
- Eat less sugar to starve the harmful bacteria in your mouth.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Oral health is about more than a beautiful smile – it’s the gateway to the entire body. Routine checkups and cleanings can help prevent or control many systemic conditions, including heart and brain disease, while reducing whole-body inflammation.
Sources – Kapila, Y. L. (2021). Oral health’s inextricable connection to systemic health. Periodontology 2000, 87(1), 11-16. American Dental Association. (2023, September 11). Oral-systemic health. ADA Oral Health Topics. ada.org. University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry. (2019, January 14). The surprising connections between oral health and well being. UIC Dentistry News.
