When you think about looking after your health, you probably think about eating well, moving your body, getting enough sleep and keeping up with regular health checks.
However, over thirty years of looking after our clients’ oral health from our dental clinic in Mornington, and through incorporating holistic dentistry into our dental care, we have seen the important relationship between the health of your mouth and your overall health.
Changes in your gums, tongue, saliva and even your breath can provide important information about what’s happening elsewhere in your body.
This becomes particularly important as we get older and our bodies change. Hormonal changes, medications, stress and health conditions can all affect our oral health, which is why paying attention to your mouth is an important part of looking after your overall wellbeing.
What your mouth health can show us about your health
Your gums and inflammation in the body
Bleeding when you brush or floss isn’t something to simply put up with.
Red, swollen or bleeding gums can be a sign of gum disease, which is essentially inflammation in the tissues surrounding your teeth. If this is left untreated, gum disease can progress and affect the structures supporting your teeth.
Chronic inflammation in the mouth has also been associated with inflammation and health conditions elsewhere in the body. Periodontal disease has been linked with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and researchers continue to investigate its relationship with other inflammatory conditions.
Unlike inflammation in many other parts of the body, inflammation in your gums can often be seen. That’s another good reason to pay attention to changes such as redness, swelling or bleeding and have them checked rather than ignoring them.
The impact of diabetes on your oral health
Gum disease is more common and can be more difficult to manage in people with diabetes, particularly when blood glucose levels are not well managed. In some cases, we may recommend you see your GP if we pick up oral health concerns that we feel need further medical attention.
This is one of the benefits of having regular dental examinations. We aren’t simply looking for tooth cavities – we’re looking at the health of your whole mouth and noticing changes over time. With this additional information, we can give you practical next steps.
A dry mouth can increase incidence of tooth decay
Have you noticed your mouth becoming increasingly dry?
Saliva plays an important role in protecting your teeth and keeping your mouth healthy. When saliva flow is reduced, you can become more susceptible to tooth decay, bad breath, difficulty swallowing and oral infections.
Dry mouth can become more common as we get older, for menopausal women, and particularly because many commonly prescribed medications can reduce saliva production. If you’ve noticed persistent dry mouth, you’ve recently started or changed medication and your mouth suddenly feels different, it’s worth mentioning at your next dental appointment.
The link between your tongue, mouth and breath
Your tongue can also provide useful clues.
Changes in your tongue such as persistent soreness, coating or unusual colour can sometimes be associated with infection or nutritional deficiencies. If you’re noticing more frequent mouth ulcers or areas that are slow to heal, then it’s worth taking a closer look at, particularly if they keep returning.
Persistent bad breath deserves attention too. Instead of reaching for another mint, it’s important to find out what’s causing it. Gum disease, dry mouth, tongue coating and other oral health issues can all contribute.
If you’re having recurring infections such as oral thrush, or other unusual changes in your gums, then we may suggest further medical investigation to find out the source of the problem.
Your dental care is an integral part of your overall health and self-care
For many of us, particularly women juggling work, children, ageing parents and everything else life brings, our own health can gradually move further down the list.
But dental care shouldn’t. Changes in your mouth can sometimes be an early indicator that something needs attention, giving you an opportunity to act sooner rather than later.
Regular check-ups and cleans give us an opportunity to notice subtle changes you may not have seen or felt yourself. Sometimes these are simply dental issues that can be addressed early. Occasionally, they can be a reason to investigate something further.
At Smile N Co, we believe preventative and holistic dental care is about more than fixing a problem when something hurts. It’s about understanding your mouth, recognising that it’s connected to the rest of your body, and having a plan to help protect your health for the years ahead.
Give our friendly team a call on 5975 9994 at our Mornington Dental Clinic and make a time to give yourself a Smile N Co experience – a calm, gentle, and holistic dental approach that cares for your smile, your confidence, and your overall wellbeing.