Escapees May June 2015 Demo

The C onnection of General Health and ORAL Hygiene By Karen Minard #64779

of the connective tissue that supports the teeth to the gum and bone. These untreated conditions can lead to gum, tooth or bone abscess and tooth death, all of which cause throbbing pain, facial swelling, bad breath and purulent drain- age. The infection can spread through the body, affecting our general health and other organs, including the heart. Along with your personal oral care, your dentist will provide an examination, x-rays, plaque removal and cleaning and polishing to protect the health of the mouth. Not car- ing for our teeth and gums leads to extensive and expensive avoidable procedures. Dentists recommend replacing your tooth- brush every three months, and it should have soft bristles. Brushing should include teeth, gums, tongue and cheeks. Any mouthwash is basically useless within 15 minutes because oral bacteria are always present and growing. Well, as for me, I’m off to buy a fresh tooth- brush. I hope this article finds you all giving

It is important to understand how the health of our mouth and teeth significantly affect our life and health,

including our heart. Science has proven that poor oral hygiene can cause an inflammatory response in the body. This can contribute to heart attack and stroke, infection in the lungs (pneumonia), kidney infection (pyelonephri- tis), brain abscess and oral bone loss and infection, just to name a few potentially debil- itating or deadly illnesses. These problems can be prevented by doing what we were taught as children: brush our teeth, gums and tongue twice a day, floss and see a dentist at least once a year. Even if we have a bridge or dentures, it is still important to clean them as well as our mouth. This sim- ple process can save us loss in comfort, health and wallet size. T here is way more to the tooth than what you see in the mirror. There are nine parts and three sections to each tooth. The gums, other

connective tissue and the jawbones hold the teeth firmly in place. Oral problems with the teeth or gums can be treated early by a dentist to help prevent further problems and disease. Adverse conditions of the teeth are that they can wear down, crack or break and decay. Gums may recede and become inflamed, causing gingivitis. This is due to un- removed plaque, a deposit of food particles, mucus and bacteria that are not removed adequately with brushing at the base of the tooth at and under the gum line. Untreated gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, which is an infection

away a beautiful free gift: your happy smile.

Karen lives full-time in her motorhome. She has been in nursing since 1969, with eight years as a RN travel contract nurse. Her areas of specialty are emergency room and telemetry. Portions of Karen’s articles may have been published in other newsletters and publications. Nothing written is meant to diagnose, prescribe or take the place of seeing a physician, and her articles are not meant to cover all available information or health care options.

www.escapees.com | May/June 2015 | ESCAPEES . 71