Oral Health and How It Affects Overall Health

By now, most people know there is a connection between oral and overall health. If you follow the Dental Cosmetics of Anaheim Hills Blog, you will know that healthy teeth and gums make for a healthier body.

How Teeth and Gums Affect your Body

According to Dr. Jack Ringer, past president and an Accredited Fellow with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, plaque and tartar get into your bloodstream. This causes blockages in your blood vessels. When this occurs, your heart has to pump harder to get oxygen to your brain. If there isn’t enough oxygen, you are at risk for heart attack and stroke.

Brushing, flossing, a good diet and regular checkups prevent an over abundance of bad bacteria. Your mouth is loaded with the good stuff, but bad oral hygiene allows the bad bacteria to get out of control taking over the good bacterium.

Keeping your teeth and gums brushed and flossed goes a long way when it comes to overall health. However, poor oral hygiene isn’t the only thing that causes problems for overall health.

Your TMJ and Overall Health

Your TMJ is what connects your lower and upper jaw. If you have suffered a blow to your head or your jaw is misaligned, it could be affecting your jaw joints. Teeth grinding and clenching can also lead to temporomandibular disorder, also known as TMD. If you suffer from arthritis or don’t practice good posture, your TMJ could cause problems. Even gum chewing can affect your TMJ. TMD can be temporary or chronic.

A visit with Dr. Ringer will determine how TMD is affecting your TMJ and your teeth and gums. As a preferred oral appliance therapy provider, Dr. Ringer and his team will recommend the best device for your TMD.

If it’s your bite or something else that is causing the problem, your Anaheim Hills dentist will recommend dental therapies such as tooth straightening or other dental restoration procedures.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Therapy for Teeth and Gums

Most people don’t think about a dentist when it comes to sleep apnea. However, a dentist who is trained in oral appliance therapy, such as Dr. Ringer, understands the connection and can help you sleep better at night.

If you or someone you know suffers from OSA or obstructive sleep apnea, you know how difficult it is to deal with a CPAP machine. CPAP therapy is cumbersome and uncomfortable for both the OSA sufferer and the person who shares his or her bed.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause serious problems, even death. Signs that you may be suffering from sleep apnea include loud snoring, breathing cessation during the night, excessive daytime sleepiness, mood swings, depression, dry mouth, and insomnia.

Regular Dental Checkups for Healthy Teeth and Gums and More

Regular checkups with Dr. Ringer and his team help prevent more serious disease. Often times your dentist in Orange County is the first person to discover something.

Regular oral cancer screenings during your annual comprehensive dental examination can detect early mouth cancers. If mouth cancer is detected in its early stages, the survival rate increases.

Twice yearly dental checkups for teeth and gums also prevent more serious problems. If you have a small cavity, it’s essential that you take care of it quickly. It won’t get better on its own and just may require a root canal if it gets larger.

Gum disease is the same way. Leave it to its own devices and gingivitis will become periodontal disease, which can be controlled, but never cured completely.

Keep Your Body and Teeth and Gums Healthy

Are your teeth and gums healthy? Call or click and schedule a comprehensive dental examination in Orange County with Dental Cosmetics Anaheim Hills. You’ll be glad you did and so will the rest of your body.

Call for a dental checkup for teeth and gums in Orange County today.