subject: Maintaining Good Oral Health Is Important For General Health [print this page] The general health and wellbeing of individuals are inextricably linked to their oral health. The opposite is also true: oral health can be affected by changes in general health, diet and medications. Acknowledging this mouth-body connection is important in achieving good health and a healthy lifestyle.
However, we are used to thinking of the mouth, and its care as separate and independent from the health of the body, and healthcare. This has to change, says the World Health Organization, the world body responsible for providing leadership on global health matters. In an article titled Oral health, general health and quality of life, the Bulletin of the World Health Organization makes it clear why such change is necessary:
"The compartmentalization involved in viewing the mouth separately from the rest of the body must cease because oral health affects general health by causing considerable pain and suffering and by changing what people eat, their speech and their quality of life and well-being."
Oral health affects people both physically and psychologically. It influences how they grow, enjoy life, look, speak, chew, taste food and socialize. It affects their feelings of social well-being. Severe tooth decay can adversely affect the quality of life in children, in addition to their nutrition, growth and weight gain. It leads to pain, discomfort, disfigurement, acute and chronic infections, and eating and sleep disruption. They face higher risk of hospitalization and high treatment costs. Missing school due to oral and dental problems can diminish their ability to learn. Tooth decay affects growth negatively because toothache and infection can alter eating and sleeping habits, the food they can eat and their metabolic processes. Besides upsetting metabolic processes in children, disturbed sleep and the resulting daytime sleepiness can also lead to reducing levels of academic achievement, especially in older children.
Oral health, diseases and nutrition
Oral health also has an effect on other chronic diseases. A number of medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, lung conditions and HIV, as well as adverse outcomes of pregnancy, have been associated with oral health. To complicate things further, oral health, general health and nutrition also share a three way relationship.
For example, those who have poorly or uncontrolled diabetes have not just high blood sugar, but also increased amounts of sugar in their saliva. This can put the person at increased risk of oral conditions such as dry mouth (xerostomia), gum disease, tooth decay, gingivitis, infections, oral thrush (candidiasis) and the burning mouth syndrome. Some of the conditions like dry mouth can make it difficult to chew, taste and swallow, further affecting nutrition. Controlling blood sugar levels helps prevent complications arising from dry mouth. At the same time poorly controlled diabetes raises risk of gum disease, the presence of gum disease also increases the difficulty of achieving blood glucose control in people who have diabetes. In addition, dental procedures such as fitting of dentures and dental surgery need sufficient control of blood sugar to be successful.
Research has found a potential link between oral infections and the risk of heart disease. This occurs when microorganisms that cause oral infections infect blood vessels that can result in inflammation and injury and lead to the build up of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels.
Those who are afflicted with HIV can have several oral complications. Oral-pharyngeal fungal infections can cause burning mouth, mouth pain and difficulty in swallowing. Viral diseases can result in mouth ulcers while oral thrush can lead to pain during chewing, sucking and swallowing of food. Those with HIV may also be vulnerable to developing cancerous growths in the oral cavity, a condition known as Kaposi's sarcoma.
All these conditions compromise both oral health and overall health through constraining nutrient intake. As nutritional status worsens, a vicious cycle is created because these conditions become worse.
Research also suggests that there is an association between the presence of bacteria that cause oral infections during pregnancy and risk of preterm births.
Your mouth is a window to your health
As you can see, the mouth truly is a window to the body's health because it can show signs of illnesses, general infections and even nutritional deficiencies. Recent research have also uncovered numerous ways in which salivaoften called the mirror of the bodycan be used as a perfect medium to be explored for health and disease surveillance.
Who needs a periodontal evaluation?
A periodic evaluation will benefit everyone. But, the American Academy of Periodontology recommends evaluations especially important for those who:
Have a high risk for periodontal diseases, when assessed by the AAP risk assessment test.
Have heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease or osteoporosis
Are thinking of becoming pregnant.
Have a family member with periodontal disease. This is because the bacteria that cause periodontal disease can pass through saliva and put families, children and partners at risk for contracting the periodontal disease from another family member.
Have a sore or irritation in the mouth that does not get better within two weeks.
