What is poor oral health?
World Health Organisation describes oral health as a key indicator of overall health, well-being and quality of life. Poor oral health encompasses a range of diseases and conditions that include:
- dental caries
- periodontal disease
- tooth loss
- oral cancer
- oral manifestations of HIV infection
- oro-dental trauma
- birth defects such as cleft lip and palate
oral diseases affect 3.5 billion people worldwide
What can happen if my oral health is poor?
Research has found a strong association between poor dental health and many general illnesses. Some examples of diseases and conditions linked to poor oral health are:
- stress
- chronic pain
- anxiety
- depression
- loneliness
- diabetes
- chronic diseases
- chronic infections
- antibiotic resistance – due to overuse
- heart disease
- reduced immune function
- gut problems
- sleep disturbances
- speech disturbances
- reduced metabolic processes
Enjoyment and qualify of life can be compromised due to low levels of oral health. Self esteem suffers due to appearance or speech. Inability to chew food can have dramatic consequences on adequate nutrition intake and overall general health. Research shows that overall feelings of social well-being are also affected when someone is suffering from poor dental health.
What about kids?
Poor oral health such as dental cavities may cause pain when bottle feeding or chewing. This can lead to the child avoiding meal times and therefore not consuming enough calories or eating a balanced diet. Therefore, a child’s growth and development can be negatively affected.
How can I improve my dental health?
- stick to a daily routine of brushing your teeth after breakfast and after dinner – DAILY
- reduce all added sugars to your diet – this includes main meals, snacks and sugary drinks
- have your mouth checked by a dentist at least once every year – many dental diseases are not painful until advanced
How can a dental check up improve my overall general health?
Poor dental health is most often not painful and if people have been living with it for many years, they are not aware that they suffer from poor oral health. We suggest a comprehensive dental consultation, which will address your teeth, gums and perform an oral cancer screening. It’s easy, inexpensive and can help to eliminate many linked general illnesses.
Why choose Corio Central Dental for your check up? Learn about why other patients have chosen Corio Central Dental by watching their testimonials now.