What is oral health?
Oral refers to the mouth, which includes the teeth, gums, and supporting tissues. It is easy to take your oral health for granted, but it is key to living each day comfortably. These tissues allow you to speak, smile, sigh, kiss, smell, taste, chew, swallow, and cry. They also let you show a world of feelings through expressions. Taking good care of these tissues can prevent disease in them and throughout your body.
How are problems with the tissues in your mouth linked to health problems in other places in your body?
The health of your mouth can be a sign of your overall health. Many serious diseases, such as diabetes, HIV, and some eating disorders, show their first signs as symptoms in the mouth. This is why it is important to have complete, regular oral exams.
Most of us think of problems with the mouth in terms of cavities, toothaches, and crooked or stained teeth. Lacking healthy teeth and gums has an effect on how we look, but it also affects the health of our bodies.
- If you have gum disease, you may be more likely to get heart disease.
- Having missing teeth can affect your mental health since it can lead to feeling badly about yourself.
- If you have diabetes, you may be more likely to get gum disease.
- If you have both diabetes and gum disease, you can have more problems controlling your blood sugar levels.
What are the most common oral health problems?
The most common oral health problems are cavities and gum disease.
