Did you know certain dental issues are found to have a relationship with certain health issues? Well, it’s true, which is why your dentist, Dr. Tom G. Schleicher, strongly encourages you to take good care of your smile. Unfortunately, some dental issues are linked to major health issues that are related to the major organs in your body.
Gum disease is a serious and dangerous dental issue that has been found to be linked to major health issues. This disease develops when plaque continues to live on your teeth and under your gums. Gum disease has been found to have a relationship with heart disease, stroke, as well as the delivery of pre-term, low weight babies for women.
There are also other dental issues that have been linked to additional health problems. In fact, many symptoms of these health problems involve the mouth. Those symptoms include dry mouth, mouth ulcers, excessive oral tissue problems, and swollen gums. The health issues related to these symptoms include diabetes, leukemia, oral cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, and pancreatic cancer. Luckily, if you keep up on your routine dental cleanings and exams, your dentist can detect these problems at the early stages before they are extremely dangerous.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to lessen the affects your mouth has on your body. In addition to visiting your dentist every six months for a routine checkup, you can brush your chompers twice a day, floss your teeth once a day, have a healthy and balanced diet, and avoid smoking and all types of tobacco use.
Call Thomas G. Schleicher, DDS PLC today at 804-526-0231 if you have any questions or if you would like to know more about how to help your overall and oral health in Colonial Heights, Virginia. Our dental team is more than happy to help you, and we look forward to your phone call!