We’ve teamed up with Bow Lane Dental founder James Goolnik to talk about how having a healthy mouth leads to a healthy body. Most people do not know about the correlations between a healthy body and a healthy set of teeth, so James is here to talk about it.
Drinking water
James says: Water cleans your mouth, washing away leftover food that attracts bacteria and diluting the acids produced by the bacteria. Sports or energy drinks contain very high amounts of caffeine and have been found to have serious adverse effects. Their high acidity levels can also lead to tooth erosion.So, even though sports drinks may help improve your performance, it’s important to weigh the risks you are taking to your oral health, too. Water is the best option for rehydration!Here at Bow Lane, we’ve invested in a CleanCert Reverse Osmosis 5 stage filtration system to remove 99.98% of impurities from the mains water, which is used for all our sterilisers and water for the treatment rooms so we can now guarantee consistently high-quality water.
Eating healthy foods
James says: We all need to refuel, but we are what we eat and our mouths are very often the first part of our bodies to take the brunt of poor diets. Diet is a major aetiological factor for dental decay (caries) and enamel erosion, and what you eat not only impacts on the development of your teeth but also your resistance to many oral conditions, including gum diseases and oral cancer.
Kicking Sugar
Frequent sugary attacks on your teeth cause rapid decay, which leads to cavities and increases the likeliness for fillings and other dental treatments. An excess of sugar puts strain on your liver increasing the fatty acids in your blood (which may be stored as fat) and it increases the chances of a number of metabolic diseases (e.g. diabetes and heart disease).Sugar can cause an increase in fats in your blood, triglycerides. This is directly linked with increased risk of Heart Disease and Stroke.Not to mention its impact on your sleep, concentration and energy levels. The list could go on. And if you are eating healthily, make sure you eat your fruit, don’t drink it!James has his very own low-sugar charity cookbook ‘Kick Sugar’ which is full of delicious recipes and a 14-day sugar challenge. You can find out more about it by visiting the website here.
De-stressing
James says: Modern life can be stressful so it’s always a good thing to reflect on what we put our bodies through and how we can minimize the impact of stress. Stress can manifest in the mouth as pain, bruxism, temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and gum disease. With any stress-related dental problems, I always take a thorough history to identify the most obvious reasons for them and the extent it impinges on the patient’s life.Treatments could include a splint (for bruxism) anti-stress medication, Botox into the jaw muscles, orthodontics to move the teeth and lifestyle changes. Mouth ulcers can be triggered by stress.The most important thing is to keep your mouth very clean and not to touch ulcers with your fingers. Maintaining good oral hygiene and use of an antiseptic mouthwash or spray (e.g. chlorhexidine) can prevent secondary infection and, therefore, slow healing. If you have an ulcer that has not healed in three weeks you must see your dentist.
What conditions can be linked to oral health?
Your oral health might contribute to various diseases and conditions, including:
- This infection of the inner lining of your heart chambers or valves typically occurs when bacteria/germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to certain areas in your heart.
- 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.
- Pregnancy and birth complications: Periodontitis has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
- Certain bacteria in your mouth can be pulled into your lungs, causing pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
Did you know?
With every check-up we include an 8-step oral cancer screening? Book in your check-up with our award-winning dentists today and maintain a healthy mouth. A healthy mouth means a healthy body.[Book your appointment here]
