![\"how](\"https:\/\/assets.doctorlogic.com\/Images\/Sites\/D\/DE-SanDiego\/Post\/toothbrush-toothpaste-dental-c-washed-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
How your dental health affects your overall health:<\/strong> Don\u2019t have time for your scheduled dental appointment? Think again. More and more studies show a direct correlation between your oral health and your overall health. This means unhealthy teeth may lead to other problems such as heart disease and high blood pressure.<\/p>\n Scientists think that it may have to do with bacteria.<\/a> Don\u2019t panic just yet. Many areas of your body such as your mouth, skin, and intestines\u2014are swarming with bacteria. Unless you have a health condition that compromises your immune system, this bacteria is harmless. Bacteria in your mouth are kept under control by regular brushing, flossing and scheduled dental cleanings with a professional hygienist.\u00a0If you slack off on these important steps, it leads to tooth decay and gum disease.<\/strong>\u00a0Periodontitis is a serious form of gum disease that might play a role in other diseases throughout your body. The increase in bacteria has a domino effect on systems throughout your body\u2014particularly if you already have chronic conditions such as diabetes and HIV\/AIDS, which lower your body\u2019s resistance to infection.<\/p>\n When bacteria overpopulate your mouth, they move to other parts of your body.\u00a0Poor oral health<\/a>\u00a0may contribute to the following diseases:<\/p>\n There are a lot of common sense measures you can take to safeguard your oral health.\u00a0Here\u2019s a checklist:<\/a><\/p>\n Using tobacco products, including snuff and chewing tobacco, can damage your teeth and put you at greater risk for oral cancer.<\/p>\n Be sure to use fluoride toothpaste that has been approved by the American Dental Association.<\/p>\n Be sure to change it after you\u2019ve had a cold or an illness.<\/p>\n Avoid sticky, sugary snacks that adhere to your teeth. See a list of 5 surprising foods that are harmful to your teeth\u00a0here!<\/a><\/p>\n Did you know that most dental insurance plans will pay for two cleanings a year? Don\u2019t throw away your benefits! Your bi-annual checkups are also a time when your dentist checks your mouth for signs of oral cancer. Brushing your teeth regularly is not only beneficial to your overall health, but\u00a0it also improves your quality of life.<\/strong> Bacteria overgrowth can lead to painful conditions such as tooth decay. If not treated in a timely manner or with Laser Gum Therapy<\/a>, dental infections can spread far into the tooth and irritate the jaw bone. At times like this, a root canal may be needed. If you have any questions on how your oral health may be affecting your overall health, or if you have one of the conditions listed above, speak to your dentist for additional information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How your dental health affects your overall health: Don\u2019t have time for your scheduled dental appointment? Think again. More and more studies show a direct correlation between your oral health and your overall health. This means unhealthy teeth may lead to other problems such as heart disease and high blood pressure. What\u2019s the connection? Scientists […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/858"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=858"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/858\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4930,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/858\/revisions\/4930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What\u2019s the connection?<\/h1>\n
Diseases and conditions related to your dental health<\/h1>\n
\n
Protect your oral health<\/h1>\n
Stop smoking.<\/h3>\n
Brush your teeth at least twice a day.<\/h3>\n
Change your toothbrush every couple of months.<\/h3>\n
Watch what you eat.<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t skip your twice-a-year cleanings.<\/h3>\n