What is the Mouth-Body Connection?

Many people have heard about the mind-body connection, but it’s not likely many have heard about the mouth-body connection. So, what is it? To most people, going to the dentist is about getting yearly cleanings, checking for cavities, and getting a tooth pulled or a filling—most patients don’t go to the dentist expecting to learn anything beyond the status of their teeth. However, this mouth-body connection is not just about teeth. It also concerns overall health, since what you put in your mouth affects the rest of your body and what goes into your body can also affect the mouth. That is the mouth-body connection in a nutshell.

Many diseases and conditions pertaining to overall health affect oral health, such as mouth infections if the immune system is weak. Your immune system is what protects your body from illnesses as well as infection, and it can be affected by many things including disease and drugs taken to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, and it can also be a side effect of chemotherapy treatments. Medicines for other conditions can also affect your mouth and its health—for example, many drugs cause dry mouth, which can increase your chances of dental decay and yeast infections as well as affect taste buds.

When dentists examine your mouth, they may see signs and symptoms of another bodily illness or a disease you may have been unaware of. Dentists may choose to perform tests to provide evidence of their theories and then refer you to a specialist if need be. If you have certain medical conditions, this may require you to need specialized oral and dental care. Your dentist may refer you to an expert in oral medicine to help with your condition. Oral health can also have an impact on other medical conditions. For diabetics, for example, mouth infections can change blood sugar levels and cause the condition to be far more difficult to control.

Researchers are also studying cases that explore whether or not periodontal (or gum) disease may, in fact, increase risks of other medical problems including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and premature births. Around 35 percent of adults in America have some stage of periodontitis, and another 50 percent have gingivitis, which happens to be the mildest form of gum disease. Gum disease is very common, and its treatments and managements can have important implications that may affect one’s overall health.

If you have any questions regarding oral health, remember you can always consult your dentist as well or sign up for our New Hampshire Individual Discount Dental Plan to save as much as 20 percent on all your dental bills. For more information, please click here.

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