1.866.769.5463 How Does Your Mouth Affect Your Overall Health?
The human body is a delicate marvel of interacting systems, each supporting and reinforcing the other. When all the systems are functioning as they should, you will notice improved health and performance from all your systems, which you can appreciate whether it means being at the top of your golf game or just avoiding regular heartburn. Many people do not appreciate the role that dental health plays in overall health, but here are some of the ways that problems in your mouth contribute to major health issues.
Periodontal disease has been associated with a number of significant health problems, including heart disease, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Bacteria can enter your bloodstream through your gums, and attach to fatty plaques in your coronary arteries where they contribute to buildup, and if you are at risk of infective endocarditis, your risk may be increased by periodontal disease.
A poorly-aligned bite can contribute to digestive problems. Chewing is the first step in digestion, and poor chewing can make it harder for your stomach to digest the foods you eat, leading to acid reflux, and other digestive problems. If you have a bad bite, chewing certain foods may be difficult or uncomfortable, causing you to avoid them, which in some cases can contribute to poor nutrition.
Neuromuscular issues are closely related to an inefficient bite, but are related to the impact your bite has on neighboring systems. The area around your jaw joints, called the temporomandibular joints, is a very crowded one for essential nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. When your bite is out of alignment, it can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ. One of the most common effects of TMJ is the pinching of nerves in the area, causing headaches or other seemingly-inexplicable pains. The muscles of your jaw also work in concert with those in your neck to support your spinal column and skull, so when your bite is out of alignment, your spine might be, too, causing neck and back pain, as well as pinched nerves along the length of your spinal column.
Don’t think that your oral health is separate from your overall health. Your body all works together, and when one part is unhealthy, the entire system suffers.
To learn more about how improving your dental health will improve your overall health, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Michael E. Kun today.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 4:30 pm and is filed under Dental Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
