Diabetes and Periodontal Diseases: A Two-Way Street If you have diabetes, you know that it’s important to regulate your blood sugar levels for the well-being of your body from head to toe. But, you may not know that what happens to you from head to toe can affect your diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes is not a single disease; it occurs in several forms and has complications that affect virtually every system of [...]
The pill that might be making your mouth ill Your medicine cabinet may hold the answer to some of your oral health problems. Drugs that improve the health of one part of your body may have a detrimental affect on your mouth. For example, over 400 medications produce dry mouth or xerostomia, which can be damaging to the gum tissue. Other drugs may cause gingival enlargement, which means the gums become swollen and “grow over” the [...]
Nutrition plays an important role in overall wellness, including oral health. Eating well and maintaining a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of developing problems in your mouth, including periodontal disease. In fact, including certain foods as part of a nutritious diet has actually been shown to play a role in the prevention of periodontal disease. Lactic Acid & Calcium Most people know that dairy products can help build strong bones. What some may [...]
Don’t Let a Dirty Mouth Pollute Your Clean Heart Taking care of your oral health will give you a winning smile and may also be heart healthy. Do you find this far-fetched to believe? It’s true...A dirty mouth is like a factory dumping into a river. Using this analogy, the bacteria from your mouth is the sewage that can seep into your bloodstream, or in this case the river causing it to become polluted. Your bloodstream [...]
Resolve To Eliminate Stress and Save Your Oral Health The holidays are always stressful. They can be stressful emotionally, physically, and financially. You can probably feel the stress taking its toll on your mind, body, and spirit. What you may not realize is that your everyday stress may be affecting your oral health. A literature review published in the August issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP) saw a strong relationship between stress and periodontal diseases; [...]
The wise old owl gives a hoot about his teeth Most seniors have become smarter about their oral hygiene and are more likely to keep their teeth throughout their lifetime than they were a decade ago. The Centers for Disease Control reports about 70 percent of adults 65 years old and older have their natural teeth. However, oral health is often an overlooked component of many seniors’ general health and well-being. Studies indicate that seniors have [...]
Women’s Hormones Could Affect Their Oral Health Women: your health care needs are unique and require special care. Taking care of your health also includes oral health because it’s an important part of your overall health. Periodontal researchers are making strides to find out how periodontal diseases may affect women’s overall health. Recent issues of the Journal of Periodontology published findings that relate to women’s unique oral health needs. Following is a brief overview of some [...]
Break the Tobacco Habit and Save Your Oral Health Tobacco use negatively affects oral health because it is one of the factors in the development and progression of periodontal diseases. According to studies, periodontal diseases are one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. Aim for a tobacco free lifestyle and improve your oral health as well as your overall health! Tobacco use increases calculus, which is a hard substance that can only be [...]
