I'm sure most people have heard about how our mouths are the "gateways to our bodies."
There is actually a lot of accuracy in that statement. In fact, our mouths and oral health play a big role in our overall health! Many people think of the food that we consume, but much more enters our bodies through our mouths than people recognize. The average American consumes millions to billions of microbes per day! Some of these include probiotics from foods we consume, as well as germs, bacteria, and even viruses. While many people are currently focused on avoiding Covid-19, the coronavirus is not the only thing our bodies are susceptible to. Although, it has kept a lot of patients from maintaining their consistent dental visits, which can affect patients long-term.
The Basics of the Oral Systemic Link
The Oral-SystemicLink is the connection between your oral health and your overall health. As patients, we see doctors based on their specialties within the anatomy of the human body. However, these parts of the body function completely independent of each other. However, in reality, the human body functions much differently than that. All of these "systems" or "parts" work together, complimenting each other and our anatomical system as a whole. The Oral-Systemic Link has demonstrated that the state of a patient's oral health can affect their overall health.
We have seen links between oral health and cardiac disease, cancer, respiratory disease, Crohn’s disease, Irritable bowel syndrome, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy issues, and unexplained weight gain. Honestly, this isn't even all of the health issues related back to the Oral-Systemic Link! The part of our body most affected is the immune system, which makes it harder for your body to fight off other illnesses, related or not.
The Straight Foreward Truth
One of the most complex challenges the dental and medical community have faced together is figuring out the Oral-Systemic Link, as well as preventing its harmful effects, especially on our more vulnerable patients. There are two main factors to Oral-Systemic Link that everyone should be aware of...
- Anyone Can Be Effected By The Oral-Systemic Link
- The Oral-Systemic Link Is Completely Preventable
The biggest factor in the Oral-Systemic Link is the patients' commitment to maintaining good oral health habits. A healthy diet, brushing, flossing, tongue scraping, and mouth washing regularly are the best forms of prevention at home! There is no substitution for consistency when it comes to human health. We know that good, lifelong oral health starts with education and consistency in our youth!
How Parents Can Get A Step Ahead
The part that concerns pediatric dentists the most is that gingivitis or periodontal disease is often the start of these issues among patients. Gingivitis is very common among children, studies prove it affects approximately 70% of pediatric patients. In fact, generalized periodontitis in prepubescent children can already be a manifestation of systemic disease.
Committing to seeing your family's pediatric dentist twice a year is a huge step in preventing future health issues. Dental exams are often where diseases like diabetes, cancer, and Crohn’s disease are first detected! For countless ailments, many of the early symptoms of these diseases develop in the mouth first. Periodontal disease also has connections with many other ailments that affect the rest of the body as well.
The best time to catch any illness or disease is before it causes harm to our bodies! This is why we believe in the power of preventative health, especially with our little ones. Our goal is to provide both parents and patients with the resources and education to keep their families healthy for decades to come! If you are interested in learning more about what your family can do or set up an appointment for your little one, please don't hesitate to reach out to our office!
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