A bright, HEALTHY SMILE is something everyone wants, but healthy teeth and gums are importnat for more than cosmetic reasons. Untreated infections in your mouth would surely cause pain, discomfort, and could eventually threaten your circulatory, cardiovascular and other biological systems. You would want to treat these problems right away, wouldn’t you? Good oral care not only helps you avoid dental diseases, which the 2000 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health a “silent epidemic” it may also prevent other, more serious medical conditions. Indeed, taking a good, oral care would also help enhance your OVERALL health.

BRAIN. Adult periodontitis may increase the risk of stroke.

MOUTH. Many systemic diseases and conditions show up in the mouth, which is also a portal entry for microbbial infections. Some medications, chemo- and radio- therapies have oral side effects, such as dry mouth, which can compromise oral, and overall health.

HEART. Adult periodontitis may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and fatal heart attacks.

LUNGS. Inhaling bacteria from the mouth and throat may lead to respiratory infection.

SPINE/BONES. Loss of bone mass (osteopnia) may be associated with gum disease and related tooth loss.

KIDNEYS. Diabetics are at greater risk for periodontal diseases called the “sixth Complication” of Diabetes. Periodontitis may disrupt diabetic control and doubles a diabetic’s likelihood death from heart disease or kidney failure.

REPRODUCTIVE TRACT. Women with avanced Gum Disease may be more likely to give birth to an underweight or pre-term baby. Also oral microbes may cross the placental barrier, exposing the fetus to infection.

You probably don’t realize that every morning when you wake up, you have a bad-smelling breath. Believe it or not, this is true. This is because oral bacteria grow rapidly during our 6-8 hours of sleep each night, resulting in foul breath and bad saliva odor in the morning. During the day, our bodies use a natural self-cleaning system, which produces saliva to kill bacteria in our mouths effectively, but at night as we sleep, our mouths are under attack…

1. With less saliva being produced, fewer activities and warmer temperatures inside our mouth, the conditions are perfect for oral bacteria to increase in number.

2. When we do not clean our teeth thoroughly, any food trapped accumulates between our teeth – the main food source for oral bacteria.

3. Stress and lack of sleep lead to a weaker immune system and a better environment for bacteria to grow. These oral bacteria can cause many serious oral problems such as gum disease, plaque, cavities and sensitive teeth pain.

Protect your Smile Inside and Out!

• Replace toothbrushes every three months. After that, EVEN the best brushes become less effective. > Brush your teeth between meals or at least twice a day for two full minutes, and floss once a day.
• See your dentist twice a year. Dental professionals can evaluate your oral health, check for decay and disease and provide valuable information about the connections between oral and systemic health.
• Teach your kids (if you have/[futuristic]) good oral hygiene. Brush for them or wipe their teeth when they’re too young to do it alone, and supervise up to age seven.

Visit the http://surgeongeneral.gov/ for more information on the connections between good oral health and overall, or systemic, health.

A Healthy Smile means a Healthy Body. Now, the question is, how healthy is your smile?