You know that your dental health is important, because your teeth are vital, and your smile impacts the impression you make on others. What you may not know, though, is that the health of your mouth affects your overall wellbeing, as well. Additionally, just as an unhealthy mouth can lead to an unhealthy body, certain illnesses can also cause problems for your dental health.

• Gum disease is connected to several illnesses. For instance, people with gum disease are twice as likely as other people to die from a heart attack. What’s more, they’re three times as likely to have a stroke. Connections to gum disease have been found not only with heart disease, but also diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Your mouth is a hotbed of bacteria. There are typically more than 500 species of bacteria thriving in your mouth. They form dental plaque, a sticky, colorless film that builds up along your gumline. When this happens, it provides a welcoming environment for even more bacteria to flourish, which leads to the gum infection known as gingivitis. Gingivitis, when left untreated, can lead to periodontitis, or even to acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, commonly known as trench mouth. Saliva naturally defends your mouth against disease-causing organisms, but it can’t do the job alone.
• Bacteria from your mouth is bad news for the rest of your body. Normally, the bacteria in your mouth stays there and doesn’t enter the bloodstream. If you’ve got gum disease, though, even routine brushing and flossing can cause breaks in your gums that give those microbes access to the rest of your body. Other things that compromise your mouth’s natural defenses are medications that disrupt your saliva flow or the natural balance of your mouth. Still, a healthy immune system can usually fight off oral bacteria with no problem. If your immunity is weakened, though, you can develop an infection in another part of your body because of the oral bacteria in your bloodstream.
• When your body is unhealthy, your dental health suffers. Even as poor oral health can cause health issues for the rest of your body, some systemic illnesses can cause trouble for your mouth. There’s significant evidence that diabetes, for instance, has a reciprocal relationship with gum disease. Keeping blood sugar under control improves oral health, and treating periodontal disease reduces the need for insulin. For patients with AIDs, the first evidence of disease is often mouth lesions or other oral issues.

One of the best ways to keep your teeth healthy is scheduling regular dental appointments. If you’re looking for dentistry services in Chicago, you can trust the team at University Associates in Dentistry. We offer complete dental care at our all-in-one practice, from regular cleanings and routine treatment to complex specialty care and cosmetic dentistry. You can make a dentist appointment in Chicago by calling (312) 704-5511, or visit our website for more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation.

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and with good reason. While other types of cancer may be more high-profile, oral and oropharyngeal cancer are just as serious, killing nearly one person every hour, every day, all year. Because 40 percent of people diagnosed with these cancers won’t survive longer than five years, it’s vital to raise awareness, to encourage people to care for the health of their mouths and lower their risk factors.

Why is the death rate so high with oral cancers? It’s primarily because these types of cancer are generally not discovered until late in their development. That’s why dental associations are trying to raise awareness: regular oral cancer examinations lead to early detection, which saves lives.

So what’s the good news? When oral and oropharyngeal cancers are found early and appropriately treated, the mortality rate is reduced. So, too, are the long-term health problems that so often plague the survivors of these cancers, like facial disfigurement and difficulty eating and speaking.

In addition to having regular screenings, it’s essential to be aware of the symptoms of oral cancer. If you notice any of the following, contact a dental professional if they don’t improve within two to three weeks. You might also choose to call a dental professional immediately to ease your own concerns.

• A sore, ulceration, soreness, or irritation that doesn’t go away within 14 days.
• Red, black, or white patches, pain, tenderness, or numbness in the mouth or lips
• Lumps, hard spots, thickening tissues, rough spots, raised tissue, or crusty or eroded areas
• Any abnormality that bleeds when you touch it
• Difficulty with chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving your jaw or tongue
• A change in your bite that causes your teeth to fit together differently when you close your mouth
• A lump on the outside of your neck that’s painless, firm, fixated, and doesn’t go away within two weeks
• Persistent coughing
• An earache on one side that lasts more than a few days

Are you at risk for oral cancer? In the past, older people who drank or smoked heavily were considered at the highest risk. Today, there’s been an increase in the number of younger nonsmokers with these types of cancers. This is due, at least in part, to the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or HPV16. This virus can be dormant for many years but then resurface and cause cancer. This typically happens among the non-smoking population, and to men four times as often as women.

One of the best ways to keep your mouth healthy is by scheduling regular dental appointments. If you’re looking for dentistry services in Chicago, you can have confidence in the team at University Associates in Dentistry. We offer complete dental care at our all-in-one practice, from regular cleanings and routine treatment to complex specialty care. You can make a dentist appointment in Chicago by calling (312) 704-5511, or visit our website for more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation.