Your Mouth is a Gateway for Wellness

How do we decide what’s important when on the journey to wellness?  You can read the studies in the New England Journal Of Medicine, watch your favorite online doctor like Sanjay Gupta, or have family members in the business, just to name a few.  There are times when you’re facing a chronic or life-threatening illness that things seem to fall like a line of dominos so how do you avoid compromising your health?

The past couple of weeks there have been lots of stories about oral health and it’s impact on your overall health.  You wouldn’t think that your mouth, teeth and gums could impact your overall health, but the research seems to show otherwise.

My sister-in-law runs a dental office and the focus was on how important oral health is for good health.  Remember, when you’re facing a health challenge anything that compromises your chances at wellness is worth putting at the front of the line.

The stories I’ve heard are that because of the bacteria in the mouth, research is finding that the bacteria spreads throughout the body causing other health conditions.  The illnesses that seem to be at the front of the line are heart problems and kidney disease.  You may be shaking your head saying that can’t be true and trust me I didn’t believe it either, but I went to the dentist today and she didn’t mince words about the importance of good oral health.

So what does this mean for you?  If you’re immune system is compromised in any way then eliminating as many risk factors for other complications is critical to your health and healing.  It may seem like a low priority when you consider all the other doctor appointments, lab visits, and treatment rooms you’ve seen, but the experts are saying it is part of your overall health, not just the health of your mouth.

What does this tell us?  It tells us that the body is a complicated, intricate, and interconnected system.  Although the body tries to maintain balance on its own it needs our help to ensure that things don’t get out-of-hand.  So call your dentist and make an appointment.  Give the rest of your body one less thing to worry about.