Having a nice healthy smile can often give you an extra shot of confidence and make you feel good about yourself, and it is also important to have healthy teeth when it comes to your overall wellness as well.

If you are looking for a perfectly viable alternative to dental insurance in order to keep your teeth in great shape, you can get it at Carefree Dental. There are also a number of things you can do to look after your teeth and gums so that they last you a lifetime and help you stay healthy.

Instant health check

Whether you believe in the idea that looking into someone’s eyes is like finding a window to their soul, there is definitely plenty of truth in the idea that looking into your mouth provides a window to your overall health.

Problems that are evident within your mouth could very well be providing a vital clue with regard to how the rest of your body is doing.

The connection between your general health and oral health is largely down to bacteria. Your mouth is virtually overflowing with bacteria, although most of them harmless. But if you experience issues like an oral infection or gum disease, this can cause bacteria levels to graduate to a more damaging level.

Taking certain medications can also have an impact, as these can reduce saliva flow, which then reduces your ability to neutralize acids produced by bacteria.

Signs of diabetes

There are many people who get affected by diabetes at some point in their lives and your gums could provide a vital clue that you might have the condition, or if you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, you need to be aware of the risk of gum disease.

The problem with diabetes in terms of it affecting your gums, is that the condition reduces your body’s ability to fight infection effectively, which means that you could potentially develop gum disease.

It appears that gum disease is far more prevalent amongst diabetes sufferers. Having gum disease can make it much harder for you to control your blood sugar levels, but regular periodontal care can certainly improve your odds of controlling your diabetes.

Brittle bones

There is ongoing research to establish whether there is a clear link between osteoporosis and periodontal bone loss.

There is a certain body of opinion that suggests drugs used to treat osteoporosis may well carry a small element of risk that damage may occur to the bone structure of your jaw. If you are suffering from weak and brittle bones and have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it is important that you monitor the state of your gums and jawbone.

Associated problems with Alzheimer’s

The prospect of Alzheimer’s in later life is certainly an issue that many of rightly fear.

Unfortunately you will need to also be prepared to tackle the prospect of worsening oral health, as this is often one of the consequences of a progression of Alzheimer’s. Regular dental checkups are always advisable of course, but even more so when you have Alzheimer’s.

Problems at birth

It seems that according to numerous studies carried out, periodontal disease has the ability to impact on the health of an unborn child.

You can find numerous studies that suggest an established link between periodontal disease and pre-term or babies with a recorded low birth weight. Babies weighing under 5.5 pounds are a higher health risk generally, and that poor periodontal control can raise their risk of other health problems developing.

Work with your dentist

As a result of the potential risk to your oral health, it is highly advisable to consult with your dentist about any health problems that could have an impact on the health of your teeth and gums.

Your dentist can make an informed assessment of the current state of your oral health, especially when they are made aware of any medications you are taking on a regular basis, or have a chronic condition like diabetes.

Looking after your oral health

In between visits to your dentist, it is always important to practice consistently good oral hygiene on a daily basis.

This involves regular tasks such as brushing your teeth twice a day using a fluoride-based toothpaste, and flossing daily too.

Try to eat a healthy diet to aid your efforts to not only protect the state of your teeth and gums, but to look and feel better as well, which is often the reward for looking after your oral and general health.

Jay Taylor is a dental technician who enjoys writing about dental matters in his spare time. He is also a keen pianist and enjoys gardening in his spare time.