Don’t neglect your oral health - it’s just as important as your general health

If this year has taught us anything, it’s just how important our health is.

The better our health, the more resilient we are at fighting viruses and illnesses and making a swift recovery. It appears to be those with underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, people struggling to manage their weight and older people, who have been hardest hit by coronavirus, sometimes with tragic consequences.

Links have also been found between the virus and our oral health. In her article published in the British Dental Journal, Dr V. Samsoon presented her research on the link between poor oral health and severe complications from Covid-19

Even though Covid-19 is a viral infection it is the presence of pathogenic bacteria (bad bacteria that cause disease) that is associated with severe complications with the virus, like pneumonia and acute respiratory syndrome.

Healthy bacteria in our mouths

Our mouths include a healthy amount of bacteria, called microbiome, which normally can be exchanged between our mouth and our lungs. When we have poor oral health, pathogenic bacteria start to accumulate in our mouths and destroy that healthy balance. These bacteria can also be breathed into our lungs.

One way these bacteria make us more vulnerable is by increasing our susceptibility to viral infections.

Also, patients with periodontal disease - a severe form of gum disease - have a three times higher risk of developing diabetes, 20% increased risk of developing hypertension and 25% increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

We found many of the emergency patients we treated earlier in the year had not been to see us for more than 12 months.

Healthy gums reflect a healthy body

Looking after our health is more important than ever - and our gums provide a good indication of our general health. After all, healthy gums reflect a healthy body.

Research has found that serious gum disease is linked to medical conditions, such as arthritis, heart disease, bacterial lung infections, dementia, strokes and diabetes, among others.

A staggering 80 per cent of us suffer from gum disease at some point in our lives but with good dental care the risks can be easily controlled.

What can I do?

Brushing twice a day for about two minutes with fluoride toothpaste is the best thing you can do to keep your teeth and mouth healthy.

Use interdental brushes to clean between your teeth and loosen any trapped food before you brush. Brush last thing at night and at one other time during the day.

Visit us as frequently as we recommend. We use our teeth every day, so we think two dental visits a year to ensure they are disease free, plaque free, clean and strong to last us our entire lifetime, is not too much to ask.

Well serviced mouths require less invasive treatment in the long term, which reduces the overall cost to you, lost work time, and potential pain and discomfort. So, contact us now to book your dental health review.

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