{"id":226,"date":"2019-02-08T11:46:05","date_gmt":"2019-02-08T11:46:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indydentalgroup.com\/blog\/?p=226"},"modified":"2022-02-25T19:56:11","modified_gmt":"2022-02-25T19:56:11","slug":"importance-good-oral-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.indydentalgroup.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/08\/importance-good-oral-health\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Good Oral Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IndyIt is well understood that poor oral hygiene and infrequent visits to the dentist can put you at a higher risk for developing oral diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease, but what about the rest of your body?\u00a0 The mouth is often thought of a separate entity, but in reality it is the entryway to the rest of your body.\u00a0 Conditions that arise in your mouth can affect your body as a whole, and conditions that arise elsewhere in the body can affect or manifest themselves in your mouth.\u00a0 Diabetics, for example, are at a higher risk for developing gum disease as high blood sugar levels can lead to inflammation.\u00a0 With diabetes, it is a two-way street in which diabetes can affect your gum health, and your gum health can affect your diabetes.\u00a0 Healthy gums have actually been shown to help with blood sugar control and decrease the progression of the disease.\u00a0 Poor oral health has also been linked to heart problems.<\/p>\n

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Your saliva is a critical component in help decrease the risk for developing oral diseases, but a side effect of many medications is dryness of the mouth.\u00a0 Saliva is needed to help hydrate the tissues and wash harmful, decay-inducing bacteria from our teeth.\u00a0 With reduced saliva, those with dry mouth are at a higher risk for developing tooth decay and gum inflammation.\u00a0 Therefore, good home care and regular visits to the dentist are critical to help prevent any harmful effects of dry mouth.<\/p>\n

So, what can you do to help maintain a good, healthy mouth?<\/p>\n