Central London dentists warn that dental problems can affect patients’ general health
Keeping your mouth healthy is not just about ensuring that you are able to eat, drink and talk in comfort. These matters are, of course, important but you might be surprised to find out that good oral hygiene can help you in your general health. Sadly too, having poor oral hygiene can affect the health of the rest of your body.
Even though your mouth is dealt with by a specialist in that area, it is of course connected to the rest of you in numerous ways and so it is vital that you take care of it. Problems such as infections or abscesses in the mouth can affect the rest of you because of the blood stream. The last thing you want to happen is for the infection to spread. Advanced forms of gum disease such as periodontitis can have serious effects on your health and the inflammation of the jaw bone can cause more serious conditions.
Nerves too, are worth thinking about. If you are grinding your teeth and consequently develop temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) where the joint connecting your jaw to your skull goes into spasm then this can put great pressure on surrounding nerves and you might find you are suffering from pain in the neck and shoulders as well as the face.
It is best then to think of general health and dental health as being complimentary. By eating a healthy balanced diet you are not only helping your general health in terms of cholesterol and your weight but you are helping to protect your teeth too by not exposing them to as much of a risk from plaque.
Your Central London dentist can give you further expert advice on this subject.
