A healthy mouth and a healthy body go hand in hand. Understanding the close relationship between oral health and general health and the impact one has on the other is extremely important - and will let you know how to protect your mouth and body at all stages of life.
Oral Health is Much More Than a Nice Smile
A look into your mouth can reveal many things that also reflect your general health and well-being, including nutritional deficiencies, signs of other diseases, and unhealthy habits like alcohol or tobacco use.
Two-Way Relationship
Oral diseases take many shapes and forms, with the most common being gum disease and tooth decay. These oral diseases can negatively impact the rest of your body if they aren't treated properly; that is why oral health is essential to general health and well-being during each life stage.
General health conditions have also been identified to increase the risk of problems present within the mouth. For example, many oral diseases are linked with heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, and some cancers. Individuals with diabetes are at a higher risk of getting gum disease.
Poor oral health is often the result, as well as the cause, of poor general health. Protect your oral health and help safeguard your general and quality of life by taking action.
Keeping your mouth healthy is crucial for maintaining your general health and well-being.
*(cancer: 8.8 million, diabetes: 1.6 million, heart disease: 17.7 million, respiratory disease: 3.9 million)
Most oral diseases share common risk factors with general health conditions. These risk factors are triggered by individual lifestyle and behaviour, such as unhealthy diet (especially one high in sugar), harmful use of alcohol, tobacco use, and poor oral hygiene. By taking charge of your oral health you can help prevent oral diseases, as well as other health conditions.
Your mouth is a mirror to your body and reflects your general health and well-being.
Protect your mouth and body from early in life by:
Preventive care is always the best option, so seek early detection and treatment to fight oral diseases and associated general health conditions.