{"id":640,"date":"2017-01-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-01-18T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/\/template2\/dental-care-blog\/oral-overall-health-linked-2\/"},"modified":"2017-01-18T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2017-01-18T00:00:00","slug":"oral-overall-health-linked-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/graystonedental\/dental-care-blog\/oral-overall-health-linked-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How Your Oral And Overall Health Are Linked"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

\"\" WE\u2019VE SAID IT BEFORE AND WE\u2019LL SAY IT AGAIN\u2026<\/strong> taking care of your teeth and mouth is more than just about cosmetics, it\u2019s about your health! When you think of being healthy, your mouth probably isn\u2019t the first thing that comes to mind. But your oral and overall health are more intertwined than you think. <\/p>\n

Your Mouth Is The Gateway To The Rest Of Your Body<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to the U.S. Surgeon General\u2019s 2000 report<\/a>, \u201cOral health and general health should not be interpreted as separate entities. … As the gateway of the body, the mouth senses and responds to the external world and at the same time reflects what is happening deep inside the body. … You cannot be healthy without oral health.\u201d <\/p>\n

Periodontal Disease And Its Connection To Chronic Diseases<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Not only can many illnesses and medications have a direct effect on your mouth, your oral health can also affect your body. This is especially true of periodontal or \u201cgum\u201d disease. <\/p>\n

Diabetes<\/h4>\n

Did you know that gum disease affects 22 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes? People with diabetes have a decreased ability to fight off harmful bacteria and are thus more susceptible to gum disease. In like manner, bacteria from the mouth can cause blood sugar to spike and fluctuate, making diabetes harder to manage. <\/p>\n

Heart Disease<\/h4>\n

While health care professionals aren\u2019t completely sure as to why, heart and gum disease often go hand in hand. In fact, up to 91 percent<\/a> of patients with heart disease have gum disease. It is believed that the link between these two conditions is inflammation. <\/p>\n

Cancer<\/h4>\n

These statistics<\/a> may surprise you, but researchers have found that men with gum disease were 54 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, 49 percent more likely to develop kidney cancer and 30 percent more likely to develop blood cancers. What\u2019s more, cancer treatments often have oral manifestations. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause sores in the mouth, sensitive gums, jaw and facial pain and dry mouth.