Oral Health - It is Not Just About Cavities

Oral Health.  It is not just about cavities.  Here are two significant briefs from the literature highlighting that oral health has wide reaching implications for your total health.   

Risk for Two Birth Defects Affected by Overall Quality of Pregnant Woman's Diet.  Medical News Today – October 4. The overall quality of a pregnant woman's diet is linked with risk for 2 types of serious birth defects, according to a new study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. In the study, women who ate better before and during pregnancy gave birth to fewer infants with malformations of the brain and spinal cord, or orofacial clefts, such as cleft lip and cleft palate. “Our study showed for the first time that the overall quality of the diet, and not just a single nutrient, matters in terms of reducing the risk of birth defects," say researchers. The study is also the first to connect diet quality with reduced risk for cleft lip or cleft palate.  

Oral Health of Diabetes Patients Closely Linked to Heart Disease and Cancer Risk.  Medical News Today – October 3.  A new report in the British Dental Journal reveals that many individuals who suffer with diabetes are not aware that their oral health is closely connected to their risk of developing complications. According to the authors, inflammation from gums that are swollen can increase the severity of diabetes, increase deaths from oral cancer, and make cardiovascular disease worse. In addition, diabetes that is longstanding and poorly controlled seems to speed up the development of gum disease. However, a survey of 229 adults visiting a diabetes clinic discovered that the majority were unaware of any connection between dental health and their condition. Only 13% of participants were aware that swollen or tender gums could be affected by the disease, and only 12% knew there might be a connection between the disease and loose teeth.

Good oral health habits as well as good eating habits are just the beginning of living healthy productive lives.  What you put in your mouth and how you care for your teeth will have a definite impact on the quality of your life forever.  It is not just about cavities.

ScottThompson, DDS
Meadow Vista, CA 95722