You know how you go to the Dentist for your mouth and the Doctor for the rest of your body? Does that make you feel like your mouth is a separate entity and not really that connected to your body? If so, then you\u2019re not alone. Most of us missed the memo about the \u201coral-systemic connection\u201d (mouth-body connection). Maybe you have read in a newspaper or magazine or even heard on the news that gingivitis affects your heart. Just how connected are they?<\/p>\n
In the past decade studies have proven that they are VERY connected! So much so that a healthy mouth will actually increase your life expectancy by three to ten years!!! The mouth has the highest concentration of bacteria of anywhere in the whole body, and that\u2019s how it\u2019s supposed to be. These bacteria aren\u2019t all bad. They start the process of digesting your food and actually have some very positive roles in your health. The problem comes when those bacteria don\u2019t stay in the mouth and they get into the rest of your body.
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\nWhen your gums are unhealthy they allow the bacteria that belong in your mouth to get into your bloodstream where they get carried throughout the rest of your body and catch in tissues where they don\u2019t belong. That situation contributes to heart attack, stroke, diabetes, pre-term births and low birth weight for pregnant women, and it has even been linked to pancreatic cancer and Alzheimer\u2019s!!! Not to mention that it zaps your energy in an attempt to heal the on-going infection in your mouth. Wouldn\u2019t you rather have that energy for something else?<\/p>\n
So how do you prevent this situation and extend your life? It\u2019s surprisingly simple! Brush twice every day for two minutes at a time and floss daily. An electric toothbrush works best because it times you and takes a lot of the guesswork out of brushing. Floss should be abrasive to scrub the sides of your teeth and should be the thickest floss that you can use comfortably. Get your teeth cleaned regularly at the interval recommended by your dentist or hygienist.<\/p>\n
Take good care of your mouth and it will take good care of you!<\/p>\n
By Rebecca, RDH<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You know how you go to the Dentist for your mouth and the Doctor for the rest of your body? Does that make you feel like your mouth is a separate entity and not really that connected to your body? If so, then you\u2019re not alone. Most of us missed the memo about the \u201coral-systemic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":307,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n