Health Experts On Why Poor Oral Hygiene Is Bad for Your Overall Health
Ever climbed up the stairs to bed and felt too tired to brush your teeth? “One night won’t hurt,” you thought, as you gained an extra three minutes of slumber.
Occasionally, we might skip brushing before bed, and it probably won’t do us any harm in the long run.
However, Doctors and Scientists are becoming increasingly aware of how poor dental health affects our whole body health - and are taking steps to encourage people to be more knowledgeable on how good dental habits equal good overall health.
Why the concern? Surely the worst that can happen is we’ll need a filling or two (or people complain that our breath is less than fresh)?
Run your tongue over your teeth right now and see what you can feel. Do your teeth feel coated or furry? This substance is called plaque and it’s what naturally builds up on our teeth during the day when we eat, drink, and talk.
So long as it’s brushed away twice a day and mouthwash or floss is used to get to the hard-to-reach places, you’re grand and probably doing a good job of protecting yourself from cavities.
However, letting plaque build up on your teeth can lead to an increase in general inflammation in the body and this is what scientists believe is increasing the risk of health complications such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung illnesses, and even dementia.
What we eat indeed affects our overall health - and we all know that eating lots of refined, processed foods - or sugary snacks and drinks can lead to problems with our weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
Poor nutrition also affects our dental health too. Foods that are high in sugars (if you look at the ingredients list on pre-packaged foods anything ending in ‘ose’ will usually be sugar so lactose, fructose, glucose, sucrose, etc) are best avoided or only eaten at main mealtimes to reduce the chances of tooth damage.
The foods we often think are good for us - such as fruits contain acids and sugars which can damage our teeth. We can’t NOT eat fruit - it offers a good source of nutrition, vitamins, and minerals for overall health. However, what we can do is make sure we’re eating particularly acidic fruits at mealtimes and not as snacks - to reduce the amount of enamel erosion and plaque build-up they cause.
Brushing your teeth at least morning and night, using floss and mouthwash and regular trips to the dentist and hygienist are the best ways of ensuring that your dental health and overall health is tip top. A good dentist will advise on the right products to use and how to use them, too.
We’ve asked some experts for their opinions on this topic and here’s what they said:
Why Does Oral Health Affect Our Overall Health?
“For the majority of us, brushing our teeth twice daily is something that has been drilled into us since we were children. We are aware it’s an important habit – we do it to prevent tooth decay and gum disease – but the extent to which it impacts our overall health is perhaps less known.
Far from being simply about our teeth, research shows that poor oral hygiene is linked to a myriad of health problems including Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Our mouth is the gateway to the body. All our teeth are surrounded by gums. The gums all have a blood supply. If the gums become infected and inflamed through poor oral hygiene, then bacteria and inflammatory markers can enter the bloodstream and reach other parts of the body. ” Anna Bonet, writing for inews.
What Are the Risks of Lung Disease from Poor Dental Hygiene?
“Greater risk of pneumonia. Within just minutes of brushing your teeth, sticky films of bacteria known as dental plaque begin to reform on your teeth. If this is not cleared within 24 hours, it will begin to harden, which is why it is so important to brush your teeth at least twice per day. Research has shown that lingering plaque is capable of triggering or worsening the progression of pneumonia because bacteria can swiftly relocate from the teeth into the respiratory tract. From here, they can move down into the lungs.” David Cox writing for The Telegraph.
Why Does Skipping Toothbrushing Affect Our Health?
“General disinterest in dental hygiene is a reason people do not brush their teeth at night and after lunch. Breakfast and lunch have been shown to increase the risk of intraoral deposits that remain in the mouth throughout the day and, as a result, increase the risk of dental caries and other periodontal diseases. Thus, brushing only in the morning after waking up is insufficient and implies poor oral hygiene. Furthermore, brushing one's teeth at night is crucial to maintain good oral health, which supports the hypothesis that intraoral bacterial load surges during sleep due to reduced salivary flow.” Neha Mathur writing for news-medical.net
Can Physical Therapy Help with Jaw Pain?
“Most often, yes. Jaw pain when opening or closing your mouth, especially with chewing or biting tougher foods, can be attributed to many different sources. If that pain is muscular in origin, physical therapy could be the preferred method of treatment. With some treatments, pain relief can be immediate and have lasting effects. Of course, we would still explain the benefits of stretching and gentle strengthening exercises to complete your program.” Robbie Jessen, PT at Stewart Physical Therapy
How Can Dental Health Be Integrated Into a Holistic Wellness Routine?
“Oral hygiene is a great example for clients when we’re talking about developing healthy habits: What felt like a chore as a kid became a habit we don’t really think about much. We can then extrapolate this idea of setting ourselves up into other areas. It is also a great example of practicing mindfulness. Put everything else away and really use all your senses: look at your mouth in the mirror, listen to the sound of the brush, smell and taste the toothpaste, and experience how good your mouth feels when you’re done! Finally, celebrating the wins. Oral hygiene is intimately related to our overall health, and research about its relationship to diseases as disparate as Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes is on the rise. So we try to celebrate what we are already doing to be healthier.” Liza Baker, Health Coach at Simply: Health Coaching
What Options Are Out There for Families Who Cannot Afford Dental Care?
Most of our clients have IL Medicaid for insurance and are able to get dental care by providers who accept Medicaid. We also have a dental hygienist program at our local community college, Rock Valley College, that offers free dental care for individuals that don't have insurance. Many other community colleges across the country offer similar programs. Kelly Finch, Clinical Director at Family Counseling Services
What Types of Food are Best from an Oral Health Perspective?
You’ve heard about the microbiome, especially the gut bacteria that form your microbiome. Your mouth also has its own microbiome. Consuming a diet high in fiber-rich foods can positively influence your oral microbiome. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, leafy greens, garlic, apples and ground seeds can nourish the beneficial bacteria in your mouth.
Eating probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut can also maintain a healthy oral microbiome. The calcium in cheese and yogurt also helps in the remineralization of your teeth. The Vitamin C and bioflavonoids in citrus fruits, yellow peppers, kale, parsley, and cruciferous vegetables are not only good for your teeth, but for your gums as well.
Chewing on nuts and seeds can also scrape lingering plaque from your teeth. Just floss afterwards. Foods that have a high water content such as celery, cucumbers, and melons can stimulate the flow of saliva and protect against decay by washing away food particles and diluting the acids from sugary foods which can coat the teeth and feed the bacteria that cause dental decay. Eating healthy amounts of fruits, healthy fats such as avocados, olives and olive oil, nuts & seeds, along with plenty of vegetables and protein are just as essential to your oral health as to overall health. Linda Clark MA, CNC Universal Wellness Associates
Dental Health Corresponds with Overall Fitness and Wellbeing
Dental health is closely interconnected with your body's overall fitness and well-being. The health of your teeth and gums can influence and be influenced by various aspects of your physical health.
1. Systemic Health
Heart Disease.
Diabetes: Poor blood sugar control can lead to increased susceptibility to infections, including gum disease, and severe gum disease can make it harder to control blood sugar levels.
2. Nutrition and Digestion
Eating Habits: Good dental health allows you to chew food correctly, which is essential for effective digestion and nutrient absorption. Poor nutrition and digestive issues may contribute to dental infections and inflammation.
Dietary Choices: Painful dental conditions or missing teeth can cause individuals to avoid certain healthy foods that require more chewing, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts, potentially leading to a less balanced diet.
3. Inflammation and Infection
Chronic Inflammation: Gum disease can lead to chronic inflammation, which can lead to arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.
Infections: Dental infections can spread to other parts of the body.
4. Mental Health and Quality of Life
Self-Esteem: Poor dental health can affect self-esteem and social interactions, leading to anxiety and depression. A healthy smile contributes to a positive self-image and confidence.
Pain and Discomfort: Dental issues can cause significant pain and discomfort, affecting sleep, concentration, and overall quality of life.
5. Fitness and Physical Activity
Performance: Oral pain and discomfort can hinder physical performance and motivation to exercise. A jaw or tooth pain can make breathing difficult during intense physical activity.
Inflammation and Recovery: Chronic oral inflammation can impact the body’s overall inflammatory status, potentially affecting muscle recovery and increasing the risk of injury during exercise.
6. Immune System and General Health
Immune Response: Poor dental health can weaken the immune system. Good oral hygiene supports a healthy immune response.
Overall Well-being: Maintaining good dental health contributes to overall well-being by preventing infections, reducing the risk of chronic diseases, and enhancing the ability to eat a balanced diet, all of which support a healthy lifestyle.
Recommendations for Maintaining Good Dental Health
Regular Dental Check-ups
Proper Oral Hygiene
Healthy Diet: Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Limit sugary foods and drinks that can contribute to tooth decay.
Avoid Tobacco.
Stay Hydrated.
Maintaining good dental health is essential for overall fitness and well-being. It contributes to systemic health, proper nutrition, mental health, physical performance, and a robust immune system. Caring for your teeth and gums can enhance your overall health and quality of life. Mido Zelenjakovic Fitness Professional and owner of Rochester School of Fitness
How Does Integrative Healing Relate to Oral Health?
As one of the very first steps along the digestive trajectory, the mouth is a strong indicator of systemic health and thus can be a powerful diagnostic tool. According to Chinese medicine, for example, each tooth corresponds to different energy meridians and organs. In this way, problems in the mouth can be helpful in identifying potential trouble areas in the rest of the body.
Conversely, maintaining oral health can positively impact various bodily systems. When thinking about oral health, it is important to consider that the mouth is the primary way we receive nourishment. From the moment a baby is born, it instinctively knows how to suckle breast milk. The early process of feeding provides powerful psychological and emotional imprinting.
Whether a child was breastfed, what that process was like (peaceful vs. stressful) and what foods and oral hygiene habits were introduced early in life - all have an impact on later oral health. Sometimes it is important to address early childhood developmental elements to gain understanding and find pathways to healing at the root level. Because the mouth is in direct connection with the throat chakra, it has connections to how and whether we express ourselves verbally.
According to holistic healing perspectives such as Ayurveda, which largely account for the mind/body connection, inflammatory conditions (such as gum disease, thrush, or tooth abscess) in the mouth can be a sign that the throat chakra is out of balance. Perhaps what needs to be spoken is not being said, or the voice is being used to inflict pain rather than to communicate with kindness? These considerations can provide additional insight and opportunities to heal from the inside out. Dr. Karina Menali, L.Ac., DOM, DACM, Dipl. OM, E-RYT500, CIAYT, Doctor, Healer and Teacher at Kai Wellness - Integrative Medicine & Healing
