Blog

This British Heart Week, we wanted to highlight the importance of your oral health on your whole body.

There is a strong relationship between your oral health and your overall wellness. Gum disease is linked to a wide range of illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The University of North Carolina School of Dentistry has found that people with gum disease are twice as likely as others to die from a heart attack and three times as likely to have a stroke.

Gum disease is a chronic inflammatory condition. The mouth is a point of entry for infection. Ongoing inflammation in your mouth allows bacteria to enter your bloodstream and travel to the arteries in the heart.

This doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds. It can easily be avoided by a good everyday oral hygiene routine.

• Brush twice a day for two minutes
• Don’t brush after sugary/acidic foods
• Spit don’t rinse
• Brush your tongue
• Using floss or interdental brushes
• Stay hydrated

To make sure that your teeth and gums remain healthy, see your dentist every 6 months for a healthy mouth review and your hygienist regularly, who can give you tips on how to maintain your oral health at home.

Your oral hygiene routine will make sure that your teeth, mouth and gums are as healthy as possible, which in turn will help the rest of your body remains as healthy as possible.