Page 20 - Senior Times South Central Michigan October 2022 - 29-10

Page 20
Senior Times - October 2022
Oral health: A Window
In-Home Care for a Better Quality of Life
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Phone: 269.762.6110 • Toll Free: 877.406.4055 • Fax: 269.762.6109 Email: info@rahhelps.com • website: www.rahhelps.com
247 S. Main St., Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: 517.768.0900 • Toll Free: 877.768.0901 • Fax: 517.768.0909
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to Your Overall Health
By: Mayo Clinic Staff
Did you know that your oral health offers clues about your overall health – or that problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body?
as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to certain areas in your heart.
Like other areas of the body, your mouth teems with bacteria – mostly harmless. But your mouth is the entry point to your digestive and respiratory tracts, and some of these bacteria can cause disease.
• Cardiovascular disease. Although the connection is not fully understood, some research suggests that heart disease, clogged arteries, and stroke might be linked to the inflammation and infections that oral bacteria can cause.
Normally the body's natural defenses and good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing, keep bacteria under control. However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease.
• Pneumonia. Certain bacteria in your mouth can be pulled into your lungs, causing pneumonia and other respira- tory diseases.
Also, certain medications – such as decongestants, antihistamines, painkill- ers, diuretics, and antidepressants – can reduce saliva flow. Saliva washes away food and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, helping to protect you from microbes that multiply and lead to disease.
Certain conditions also might affect your oral health, including:
• Diabetes. By reducing the body's
Studies suggest that oral bacteria and the inflammation associated with a severe form of gum disease (periodon- titis) might play a role in some diseases. And certain diseases, such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS, can lower the body's resistance to infection, making oral health problems more severe.
What conditions can be linked to oral health? Your oral health might contribute to various diseases and con- ditions, including:
• Endocarditis. This infection of the
• Osteoporosis. This bone-weakening disease is linked with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss. Certain drugs used to treat osteoporosis carry a small risk of damage to the bones of the jaw.
inner lining of your heart chambers or valves (endocardium) typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such
Tell your dentist about the medica- tions you take and about changes in your overall health. Contact your dentist as soon as an oral health problem arises.
resistance to infection, diabetes puts your gums at risk. Gum disease appears to be more frequent and severe among people who have diabetes.
• Alzheimer's disease. Worsening oral health is seen as Alzheimer's disease progresses.
Other conditions that might be linked to oral health include eating disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, certain cancers, and an immune system disorder that causes dry mouth (Sjogren's syndrome).
Taking care of your oral health is an investment in your overall health.
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Erin L. Majka Phillip E. Harter
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269-963-3253