Did you know that a healthy mouth is also an important part of your overall health?
Anyone who has experienced poor oral health can attest to the negative impact it has on overall quality of life. Mouth pain, missing teeth or oral infections can influence the way a person speaks, eats and socializes, affecting their physical, mental and social well-being.
On the other hand, health conditions can affect oral health. For example, diabetes increases the risk of gum disease while gum disease can make diabetes harder to manage.
Gum disease, along with tooth decay and oral cancer are common chronic oral diseases. They share common risk factors with other chronic diseases including, heart disease, respiratory illness, diabetes and other cancers.
The good news? Making healthy lifestyle choices helps prevent and manage oral diseases while impacting other chronic diseases. Eat more fruits and vegetables, use less sugar, drink less alcohol, and choose to be tobacco free. For good oral hygiene brush with a fluoride toothpaste and floss daily. Visit your dentist regularly.
For more information on oral health, visit www.ahs.ca/oralhealth.