How Your Dental Health Affects Your Overall Health

Harper Dental Care is a general dentistry practice in the Hampton Roads, VA area who takes dental health and your dental concerns seriously. The professionals at our practice know that the state of your dental health can affect your overall health in a myriad of ways. Ensuring good dental health can prevent many health complications in the future.

Poor dental health has been linked to a number of different health conditions occurring throughout the body. Many of these conditions are thought to be caused by harmful bacteria in the mouth entering the bloodstream and traveling to different areas of the body. Dental injuries and surgeries can increase the risk of these complications by providing ways for the bacteria to enter the bloodstream and disrupting the natural saliva flow in the mouth. It is important to remain under the care of a local dentist during these times to reduce the risk of serious complications.

Poor dental health can be very harmful to your heart and arteries. Clogged arteries have been linked to the oral bacteria traveling through the bloodstream. These oral bacteria are also suspected to play a role in strokes and endocarditis, an infection that affects the inner lining of the heart. Regular dental checkups at Harper Dental Care decreases gum disease and leads to better overall oral health, which can also decrease your risk of heart disease.

Heart disease is only one of the health conditions linked to your dental health. Studies have shown that poor dental health has also been linked to preterm births and low birth weight babies. Various complications associated with diabetes also make an appearance when the patient has poor dental health as well. Fortunately, there is an easy way to reduce the risk of these complications.

Good dental habits will prevent most dental disorders caused by out of control bacteria growth in the mouth. Brushing your teeth everyday and flossing between the teeth will remove much of the bacteria growth from the surface of the teeth. Regular visits to your local dentist office for professional cleanings will remove any harmful bacteria missed. If you want to find a dentist in the Poquoson, VA area that can take care of all your dental issues, the professionals at Harper Dental Care are ready to help.