Is Your Oral Health Harming Your Immune System?

If oral infection or gum disease is left untreated, it can become taxing on your immune system, making it ill-prepared to tackle other bacterial infections or viruses you come in contact with. In order to maintain a healthy immune system and proper systemic health, we recommend first taking a closer look at your smile. Evaluating your dental health can start by asking yourself a few simple questions.

If you had to give your oral hygiene routine a score between 1 and 10, what would it be? How regularly do you brush your teeth? When’s the last time you dusted off that roll of floss and took it for a spin? A warm, moist environment, your mouth has both good and bad bacteria growing in it. When harmful bacteria collect in the plaque on your teeth and gums, that’s when problems start to grow. If not removed, bacteria can infect your tissues, resulting in tooth decay, gum recession, and gum disease. Gum disease , if left untreated, can spread throughout the body and has been connected to systemic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. We recommend brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day to rid your smile of disease-causing bacteria. We also recommend receiving regular professional hygiene visits for more thorough and advanced cleanings.

At-home hygiene is vital to your health but sometimes that plaque can collect in places that you can’t manage to reach on your own. Professional cleanings from your dentist in Mt. Pleasant, SC , can make a significant difference in preventing tooth decay, inflammation, and gum disease. We can reach these tough areas with specialized tools including our dental laser. Using our PerioLase® MVP-7, we can offer gentle and minimally invasive laser gum therapy treatment that effectively removes bacteria, even in cases of advanced gum disease, without harming healthy tissue. Also a part of your six-month hygiene visit is an oral pathology exam. Dr. Hogan will examine you for early signs of oral cancers to make sure we catch them before they progress.

Your body needs the proper nutrients in order to maintain your dental health and as well as your overall health. Without the right levels of vitamins and minerals, your body won’t be equipped to restore your health when it’s tested or fight off disease. We recommend eating fresh, low-sodium, and calcium-rich foods. Fiber-rich foods can also help keep your gums clean and increase the flow of saliva. Saliva plays a central role in fighting off decay and breaking down the food left on your teeth after you eat. A balanced diet comes first but how you eat is important too. Try to limit snacking and sipping on sugary drinks throughout the day.

Come see our skilled dentist in Mt. Pleasant, SC, Dr. Kevin Hogan , to find out how healthy your mouth is and what you can do to improve it. A healthier mouth may even give your immune system a boost. Call us at 843-216-0908 to schedule your personalized consultation.

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