Don't forget the dentist!

Sometimes we neglect preventive care and only focus on illness. Dental care is one issue that we often forget when facing a chronic or debilitating illness. The Surgeon General and the American Dental Association (ADA) both say good oral hygiene is important to good health.

MouthHealthy.org, the ADA’s consumer website, provides information about how to better care for your mouth and gums. Poor mouth care can lead to an increase of bacteria in the mouth, infection and serious medical complications. The ADA site states that infections may be associated with heart disease, stroke,diabetes and other health problems. Correct brushing and flossing, regular dentist visits and a healthy diet can reduce medical complications due to poor oral hygiene.

For example, individuals with diabetes may face an increased risk of oral complications when high glucose levels lead to an increase in bacteria in the mouth and potential gum disease. With over 20 million people struggling with managing diabetes on a daily basis, preventing gum disease and other oral complications may seem the least of their worries. In fact, taking care of your teeth and gums is an important part of good health. Seeing your dentist and dental hygienist regularly is recommended.

The American Heart Association recently reported that there appears to be no causative relationship between gum disease and heart attacks or strokes, but additional studies are needed. What they did say is that people who don't take care of their cardiovascular health by stopping smoking, controlling their diabetes or high blood pressure, may not pay close attention to their oral health.

Poor oral health can lead to a variety of problems, not the least of which is tooth loss. Controlling gum disease and taking care of your teeth throughout your life has other benefits too. I have an acquaintance who has poor fitting dentures and is losing weight, can't eat what he enjoys, and is probably not receiving adequate nutrition. Many older people are able to maintain their teeth well into "old age" with proper oral hygiene and regular dental care. I happen to love to eat...with dentures, the taste of food is minimized! I want to enjoy my calories, thank you very much!

To read more about good oral hygiene, Colgate Oral and Dental Health Center is a great website with lots of good information as is Crest's website. Talk to your doctor and dentist about how good oral health will benefit you!