Now that the kids are back in school it’s time for moms and dads to pamper themselves a bit. What better way to do that than with a professional dental cleaning at Dr. Joy Lunan’s dental office in Middlebury, CT.?  

   To be pampered is a wonderful thing, but did you also know that a having a healthy mouth is actually good for your whole body?  Yes, that’s right, oral health is linked to your overall health.  A healthy mouth may even help you ward off medical problems. However, an unhealthy mouth, especially if you have been told you have gum disease, increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, poorly controlled diabetes, preterm labor and low birth weight.        The case for good oral hygiene keeps getting stronger.  Please take a minute to read about the importance of oral health – and it’s strong connection to your overall health.

There are more than 500 species of bacteria thrive in your mouth at any given time. These bacteria form dental plaque, which is a sticky film that clings to your teeth and can cause health problems. If you don’t brush and floss regularly to keep your teeth clean, the plaque can start to build up along your gum tissue, creating a happy environment for additional bacteria to accumulate in between the teeth. This will lead to a gum infection known as gingivitis. If gingivitis goes unchecked, it can lead to more serious infections such as periodontitis.

When you start to develop infections in the gum tissue sometimes even routine brushing and flossing at home can provide the bacteria in your mouth an entry into your bloodstream.  Medications and treatments that reduce your saliva flow and anitbiotics that disrupt the balance of bacteria in your mouth, can also compromise your mouth’s normal defenses – allowing the bacteria into your bloodstream. 

If you have a healthy immune system the presence of of oral bacteria in your mouth causes no problems. However, if your immune system is weakened, oral bacteria entering your bloodstream may cause you to develop an infection in another part of your body.

Long-term gum infection can eventually lead to losing your teeth. Research shows that there is a link between oral infections (especially gum infections) to poorly controlled diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, preterm birth and low birth weight. 

If there wasn’t already enough reasons to keep your mouth healthy, the link between your oral health and your overall health provides even more. Make yourself a promise to practice good oral hygiene at home every day, and to see Dr. Joy Lunan every 6 months for a professional dental cleaning.  Now that’s what I call pampering!

                    Dr Joy Lunan is accepting new patients.

             Call today for an appointment at (203) 598-7920.  

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