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Simple ways to help mothers improve oral health and avoid chronic diseases

Simple ways to help mothers improve oral health and avoid chronic diseases

by | May 12, 2023 | Oral Health Women, Oral Hygiene Care, Oral Links to General Health, Oral Pathogen & Microbiome, Prevention

Mothers are often the cornerstone of their families, providing care, support, and love. However, due to age and pressures of life, many mothers are at risk of chronic diseases. These conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, can significantly impact their health, happiness and ability to fulfil their multitude of roles. Fortunately, many can be prevented or managed through healthy lifestyle choices, regular medical check-ups, and early intervention.

Maintaining good oral health is essential for overall health, as poor oral hygiene can be a contributing factor in the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and respiratory infections. In this blog, we will explore the role of oral health in overall health, and provide simple tips to help mothers improve their oral health to reduce their likelihood of suffering from chronic diseases.

Common chronic diseases and oral health

Oral health as a contributing factor to the development of chronic diseases is an ongoing area of study which we keenly follow. Our steadfast goal in educating our patients about this serious matter is ensuring their life-long health and quality of life. When our patients get into their motherhood years, they may be at greater risk of some of these common chronic diseases which can have a relationship with oral health.

  • Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels, leading to health problems. The immune response associated with gum disease can consume so much of the body’s endocrine supply that there is not enough remaining for insulin production, which is used in blood sugar regulation.
  • Heart disease is a group of conditions that affect the heart, including coronary artery disease, heart attack, and heart failure. The link between oral health and heart disease is multifactorial, with a one factor being that oral pathogens can enter the bloodstream through gum infection. Once in the blood, bacteria and viruses travel throughout the cardiovascular system and may trigger the release of large white blood cells. These large white blood cells can become lodged in small blood vessels, especially in the heart. Other components of blood, including cholesterol, then join the traffic jam which forms atherosclerotic plaque. This blocks the supply of oxygen and nutrients and, in the case of the heart, can lead to heart disease.
  • Cancer is a disease where abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, often leading to tumours and other health problems. Dental infections can contribute to this condition by releasing bacterial toxins which can damage DNA and through triggering an immune response that causes systemic inflammation. Both of these can promote the growth of cancer cells.
  • Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can significantly impact a mother’s quality of life. These may be partially attributed to brain inflammation, chronic pain, lack of sleep and degraded self-confidence resulting from poor oral health. Since the brain inflammation factor is rarely considered, it is worth explaining. Inflammation of the brain can be caused by the inflammatory response that chronic gum disease can trigger throughout the body. Long-term brain inflammation can negatively impact mental health.

Good oral health is a critical aspect of overall health, as it can reduce your risk of chronic diseases. Neglecting oral health can strain our immune systems, adversely affecting our overall health. Mothers often put the needs of others before themselves, which increases their risk of developing poor oral health that can lead to feelings of fatigue, illness, and an increased risk of chronic diseases.Therefore, we need to recognise the need for mothers to prioritise oral health to ensure their overall health, happiness, and well-being.

Common chronic dental diseases

Keeping in mind the impact of poor oral health on chronic disease, we need to also consider common chronic oral health problems. These can be mitigated by good oral hygiene and lifestyle choices, which in turn may reduce the incidence of other chronic diseases.

  • Tooth decay is a condition where the outer layer of the tooth, called enamel, is damaged by acid produced by bacteria in the mouth. This can cause pain, sensitivity, and infection if left untreated. It can also become a factor contributing to chronic diseases.
  • Gum disease is a condition where bacteria builds up in the gums, leading to inflammation, swelling, and bleeding. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss and other serious health problems if left untreated.
  • Oral cancer is a type of cancer that can occur in any part of the mouth, including the lips, tongue, cheeks, and throat. If left untreated, oral cancer can lead to serious health problems, including difficulty speaking, swallowing, or breathing.

Risk factors for chronic dental diseases

  • Poor dental hygiene can include inadequate brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups. This can lead to a buildup of plaque and bacteria in the mouth, increasing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
  • Unhealthy diets are typically high in sugar and processed foods. These can contribute to tooth decay, as the sugar fuels bacteria in the mouth to produce acid that erodes tooth enamel.
  • Vaping or smoking can delay healing after dental procedures and increase the risk of gum disease and oral cancer.
  • Excessive alcohol consumption can dry out the mouth, reducing saliva flow and increasing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
  • Certain medical conditions, as well as certain health conditions such as diabetes, can affect dental health by reducing the body’s ability to fight infection and heal properly.

How can mothers prevent chronic diseases?

Preventing chronic diseases, especially when you are a mother, requires a multi-faceted approach. It includes healthy lifestyle habits, regular health screenings and check-ups, stress management and mental health support. Here are some methods that can help prevent chronic diseases:

Healthy lifestyle habits

A balanced diet, regular exercise, and avoiding unhealthy habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are crucial for preventing chronic diseases. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help maintain a healthy weight, regulate blood sugar levels, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Regular health screenings and check-ups

Regular health screenings and check-ups can help detect and manage chronic diseases early. Women should schedule regular appointments with their healthcare provider, which may include oral exams, blood pressure checks, blood glucose tests, cholesterol tests, and mammograms.

Regular dental check-ups can help identify and treat early signs of dental issues, such as gum disease and tooth decay, before they become chronic. Your dentist can also advise on maintaining good dental hygiene habits, such as brushing and flossing. Your dentist may recommend preventive measures, such as fluoride treatments, dental sealants or night guards if necessary.

Stress management and mental health support

Chronic stress can contribute to developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, depression, and anxiety. Stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can help reduce stress levels. Seeking support from friends, family, or a mental health professional can also be beneficial for managing stress and maintaining mental health.

Healthy mouths and happy mothers

At Leeming Dental, we want to empower mothers in their journey towards optimal health. When mothers improve their health and reduce their risk of chronic diseases, they may find it easier to fulfil their multiple roles with vitality and happiness. This is hard to do alone, so it is essential that they and those around them prioritise the simple steps needed to improve oral health. Remember, maintaining good oral hygiene, making healthy lifestyle choices, and seeking regular medical and dental check-ups are key to maintaining great health and preventing chronic diseases.

How does the oral mucosa protect you from viruses and bacteria?

How does the oral mucosa protect you from viruses and bacteria?

by | Apr 11, 2022 | Oral Hygiene Care, Oral Links to General Health, Oral Pathogen & Microbiome, Prevention

What is the mucous membrane?

The mucous membrane is a moist mucosal layer that lines cavities within the body. In fact, the mucous membrane extends throughout the body and protects all internal surfaces that are exposed to air, microbes and foreign matter (i.e. dust, food & beverages). These areas include the respiratory, digestive and reproductive tracts.

This viscous lining is kept permanently moist by goblet cells that store and secrete mucins. These mucins form the protective mucous layer known as the mucous membrane.

What is the oral mucosa?

The oral mucosa, also called the oral mucous membrane, is the mucous membrane that lines the oral cavity specifically. This includes the mouth, tongue, inner cheeks, nasal passages and pharynx.

The essential ‘barrier’ immunity function of the oral mucosa

The oral mucosa has a number of protective functions. For example, it protects soft tissues from the mechanical forces of contraction, expansion and shearing when you talk, chew and swallow. It also contains receptors with sensory functions (e.g. the tongue mucosa contains taste buds).

However, the most essential protective function of the oral mucosa is that it acts as your body’s first line of immune defence against oral pathogens and viruses.

Your oral mucosal immune system functions as a barrier or ‘wall’ that separates oral bacteria and viruses from underlying soft tissue (or the serous membrane) thereby preventing infection, bacterial pathogenesis and disease.

Keep your oral mucosa moist through adequate hydration

If you’re thirsty and your lips are dry, there’s a good chance your oral mucosa is too. Keep your oral mucosa moist by drinking adequate amounts of water to maintain hydration.

The 4 major ways oral health is linked to general health

The 4 major ways oral health is linked to general health

by | Jul 24, 2021 | Oral Links to General Health, Oral Pathogen & Microbiome, Risk Factors, Signs and Symptoms

When you have poor oral health, this can lead to all sorts of oral conditions, such as tooth decay and periodontal disease. These oral conditions are usually the result of insufficient oral hygiene, high oral bacterial load and an unbalanced diet with a high proportion of refined carbohydrates and sugar. To make things worse, the longer you leave oral conditions untreated, the more likely you are to experience a destructive chronic infection that can seriously impact on the rest of your body and general health. The links between oral health and general health occur in four main ways:

  1. Long term poor oral health is linked to a number of major chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases (incl. aspiration pneumonia), stroke, dementia, kidney diseases, peripheral vascular disease, adverse pregnancy issues, stomach ulcers, obesity, oral cancer and dementia (incl. Alzheimer’s disease. In light of recent research, the indefinite term “link” may soon be upgraded to “causative link” to describe how oral conditions relate to the onset of some chronic diseases. That’s because when oral pathogens spread and infect the brain & other parts of the body, they can interfere with protein folding – an extremely important and complex physiochemical process in the human body. Unfolded or misfolded proteins are known to contribute to the pathology of a number of diseases.
  2. Poor oral health can lead to disability. When most people think of physical disabilities, wheelchairs and hearing aids come to mind easily. However, if you’ve lost your ability to chew correctly because of some missing molars, then this oral issue is very much a disability.Oral conditions and disease can also cause embarrassment, pain and suffering. In addition to functional limitations, dental problems and symptoms can result in a loss of productivity.
  3. Oral disease and chronic diseases share common risk factors. Your oral and general health share potential causes and risk factors. For example, a poor diet, lack of hygiene, smoking, alcohol use and stress are shared risk factors for both health areas. To complicate things further, oral conditions and general health conditions are more likely to occur together, thus creating a knock-on effect. For example, if you become nutrient deficient because an oral infection affects your ability to chew, your immune system may become impaired – making it harder for your body to fight off the infection.
  4. Chronic diseases may cause or exacerbate oral diseases. Having a general health problem can result in oral health complications. For example, diabetics with increased blood sugar levels may also have low pH saliva and very dry mouths. Without the protective effects of saliva at normal pH levels, they are at higher risk of tooth decay, cavities and periodontal disease. And the side effects of taking certain medications alone – regardless of the disease being treated – can also result in dry mouth and the ensuing oral complications. Long-term stress and anxiety is associated with teeth clenching and grinding which can cause major teeth damage and wear & tear.

Achieving good oral health is beneficial not just for your teeth, gums and mouth, but also for your whole body’s health and well being. With a healthy diet, good oral care & hygiene and regular preventative dental visits, you can “fill two needs with the same deeds”!

10 health benefits of having a probiotic oral microbiome

10 health benefits of having a probiotic oral microbiome

by | May 29, 2021 | Oral Health Education, Oral Health Tips and Facts, Oral Hygiene Care, Oral Pathogen & Microbiome

Everybody knows the importance of nurturing probiotic bacteria for good gut health. We consume vast quantities of yoghurt and other probiotic products to ensure our gut microbiome includes a good range of probiotic bacterial species.

What is the gut microbiome…and microbiota?

The gut microbiome refers to the curated collection of genomes (genes) identified in all the microorganisms found in a person’s gut. It’s basically a list of germ genes.

On the other hand, the gut microbiota is a reference to the gut’s microbial ecosystem and the actual microorganisms living in it. Their numbers can vary from 10 trillion to 100 trillion microorganisms at any given time. For example, several hours after a huge Sunday night meal, the microorganism count in your gut skyrockets for good reason.

Having a well balanced, flourishing gut microbiota benefits your body in a number of ways, including:

breaks down and converts food into absorbable nutrients for the body’s cell regeneration, energy and hydration needs
regulation of nutrient absorption
protection against harmful bacteria by competitive exclusion
produces essential bio-active compounds, such as a range of B vitamins

The oral cavity contains the body’s 2nd largest microbiota

If we move back up the oesophagus to the mouth, you’ll find the location of the body’s second largest microbiota after the gut – the oral cavity. Alas, there is no such public awareness or recognition of the oral microbiota nor the links of its 600-700 species to our oral and general health.

Where in the oral cavity do they live? Pretty much everywhere, including the teeth, tongue, gumline (gingival sulcus), saliva, hard/soft palates, floor of your mouth, inner cheeks and throat. All these different saliva-coated surfaces combine to provide a unique and varied environment suitable for a wide range of probiotic microbial species.

10 benefits of a diverse oral microbiome and healthy oral microbiota

A healthy oral microbiota is an exceptionally complex microbial habitat that contributes to our oral and general health in many ways:

  1. helps to shape and drive a healthy gut microbiome
  2. regulates the saliva’s buffering capacity (for high PH) to neutralise acids in the mouth – the type that cause tooth erosion
  3. reduces numbers of pathogenic acid-producing bacteria via competitive exclusion – decreases the bacterial acid load responsible for tooth decay & cavities
  4. helps prevent gum disease
  5. decreases gum inflammation
  6. initiates digestion and digestive processes
  7. metabolises nitrates into nitrites – a key molecule to reduce blood pressure
  8. prevents plaque
  9. prevents bad breath

When your oral microbiota is in balance, expect to have good oral health, great digestion and even better nutritional uptake for a healthier mouth and body.

Unfortunately, eating junk food and excess use of antimicrobial mouthwashes aren’t the best ways to sustain these plant-loving probiotic oral bacteria. On the contrary, we have either starved or wiped them out, acidified our saliva and allowed billions of sugar-loving pathogenic bacteria to take over – wreaking havoc on our teeth, gums, brain and body.

Is it time for you to replenish and nourish your oral microbiota for better oral health?

For further infomation, please read more about Oral Pathogen Test

Can oral bacteria cause Alzheimer’s disease?

Can oral bacteria cause Alzheimer’s disease?

by | Feb 22, 2019 | Diagnosis, Gum disease, News and Research, Oral Links to General Health, Oral Pathogen & Microbiome, Risk Factors, Signs and Symptoms

Can oral bacteria cause Alzheimer’s disease?

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Can oral bacteria cause Alzheimer’s disease?

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Find out what the UK researchers are saying

If you have poor oral hygiene, you are at a higher risk of a number of oral health issues such as plaque, tartar, tooth decay, cavities and chronic gum disease (periodontal disease). Inadequate oral hygiene opens the door to potentially hundreds of pathogenic oral bacteria to your teeth and gums.

Other health consequences

Oral health issues may be only one of the consequences of allowing pathogenic oral bacteria to develop in your oral cavity. A number of clinical studies in recent years have established links between certain species of oral bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease.

These oral bacteria have the ability to migrate and colonise your brain tissue. The three main culprits identified so far are Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia. Check them out (in order).

These nasty little critters can infiltrate and infect your gums and even your jawbone – like termites in wood. Additionally, these bacteria can travel around your body and enter your brain on a regular basis.

How might oral bacteria trigger the onset of Alzheimer’s?

More studies need to be conducted to find a causative link between the suspect bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease. However, the UK researchers are working with the theory that if the brain is exposed repeatedly to these oral bacteria and their by-products, the subsequent immune response may result in death of neurons in the brain area associated with memory, as well as nerve cell death.

Only Alzheimer’s patients had the oral bacteria present in their brains

When the UK scientists tested non-Alzheimer’s patients for the bacteria, they discovered that none had the suspect bacteria present in their brain tissue, whereas all of the patients with Alzheimer’s disease did.

How can pathogenic oral bacteria be identified & eliminated from your body?

At present, the diagnosis and treatment of pathogenic oral bacteria can only be performed via an oral bacteria DNA test and anti-biotic treatment. Root planing, a dental treatment used to deep clean between the teeth and gums, is a treatment method that can only remove the plaque and calculus in those areas.

oral pathogen test for oral bacteria

Oral bacteria that can crawl their way into your brain

In 2014, UK scientists were first able to identify the presence of the three oral bacteria (listed above) in the brain tissue of living Alzheimer’s patients. The researchers established that at least two of the bacteria – once firmly established in the oral cavity – had the ability and versatility to enter the brain via two different pathways.

The first pathway was via the bloodstream where they could attach to red blood cells, and travel directly into the brain – where they get off because there are no immune checkpoints. What this means for patients with bleeding gums, is that every time they brush their teeth or eat food, a fresh influx of bacteria can enter the bloodstream and reach the brain in a matter of seconds.

The second pathway came as a surprise to the UK researchers. Since the bacteria are motile (capable of motion), they were able to “crawl” their way to the brain via the nerves that connect tooth roots to the brain – a short distance of a several centimetres.

References:

Singhrao, S. K., Harding, A., Poole, S., Kesavalu, L., & Crean, S. (2015). Porphyromonas gingivalis Periodontal Infection and Its Putative Links with Alzheimer’s Disease. Mediators of inflammation, 2015, 137357.

Poole, S., Singhrao, S. K., & Crean, S. J. (2014). Emerging evidence for associations between periodontitis and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Faculty Dental Journal, 5(1), 38-42. doi:10.1308/204268514×13859766312719

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World Oral Health Day 2018 – Your mouth is a mirror to your body

World Oral Health Day 2018 – Your mouth is a mirror to your body

by | Mar 17, 2018 | Oral Links to General Health, Oral Pathogen & Microbiome, Special Days and Events

On 20 March 2018, it is World Oral Health Day. So Happy World Oral Health Day from all the staff at Leeming Dental!

The mouth and body connection

This year’s theme focuses on the link between a healthy mouth and a healthy body, and the way each affects the other. The message that the World Dental Federation would like all of us to keep in mind is the importance of protecting your mouth and body – no matter what age you are. Oral disease comes in many forms, including the two most prevalent conditions – tooth decay and gum disease. If oral health conditions aren’t treated and managed, they can have a negative effect on your general health. Likewise, general health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases are linked with certain oral diseases, and can increase your risk of oral health complications. For example, diabetes has been clinically proven to increase the risk of experiencing gum disease.

Take action

If you have poor oral health, it may be the cause of, and the result of, poor general health. However, by taking action to protect and safeguard both your oral and general health, you can improve your overall health and quality of life.

Common risk factors

Research has shown that oral diseases and general health conditions often share common risk factors. Many of these risk factors are determined by preventable behaviour and lifestyle choices. You can better manage and take control of your oral health by limiting or avoiding: an unhealthy diet high in refined carbohydrates (including sugary foods and drinks); smoking; alcohol; and poor oral health habits.

Remember!

Looking after your mouth and body is important throughout your whole life. Always practice preventative care, have regular checkups from your dentist and doctor, and seek treatment for oral health and general health conditions.