How does oral health affect heart health?
Hi, I'm Dr. Lyons from the Lyons Family Dentistry. Oral health affects your whole body. If you have an unhealthy condition in your mouth, like infected gums, that infection circulates throughout your whole body and affects you in various ways.
Can you give an example, like for diabetics?
Diabetics have a difficult time healing any infection. If they have additional periodontal disease, gum disease, it causes more infection that they cannot fight. They need extra help with this. People should be seen more often by a dentist so we can help control the situation.
What about pregnant women?
During pregnancy, you can have a transition of periodontal disease because of the hormones. Therefore, pregnant women should visit a clinic more often.
How does this transition affect the baby?
If you are pregnant and have periodontal disease, it goes through your whole body and circulates through all your organs. A future mother shares everything with her baby, which can lead to premature birth.
And what about cancer risk?
If you come in for a regular checkup, we screen anyone over age 18 for oral cancer. We always screen for potential cancers caused by smoking or chewing tobacco. We evaluate the throat, tongue, and cheeks so that cancer can be caught early and cured quickly.
Can oral health affect my immune system?
Poor oral health can decrease your immunity overall. It's proven that patients with a healthy mouth don't get sick that often.
So, good oral health can boost my immunity?
Yes, it can boost your immunity. It's proven that patients who have a healthy mouth don't get sick that often. Also, if you're sick, make sure you get a new toothbrush to avoid spreading illness.
If you have any questions, call us at (640) 400-0113.