Escapees May June 2015 Demo

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| May/June 2015 |ESCAPEES .71
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.
There 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
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.
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
away a beautiful free gift: your happy smile.
The C onnection of General Health andORAL
Hygiene
By Karen Minard #64779