Your Mouth is a Mirror!

The Surgeon General's Report,”Oral Health in America”, was the first time the nation's oral health was assessed. The 309-page report was intended to "alert Americans to the full meaning of oral health and its importance to general health and well-being."

Donna E. Shalala, U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, stated, "Oral health is integral to overall health. It also is a key determinant of your nutritional status and self-esteem. The terms oral health and general health should not be interpreted as separate entities; this report provides important reminders that oral health means more than healthy teeth and that you cannot be healthy without oral health."

Oral health refers to the mouth, which includes the teeth and gums, their supportive tissues, the roof and floor of the mouth, the tongue, the lining of the mouth and throat, the lips, the salivary glands, the bones of the upper and lower jaws, and muscles involved in chewing and swallowing. It also refers to the branches of the nervous system, the immune system, the musculoskeletal system, and the vascular system that serve the head and neck.

When your dentist performs a thorough oral exam, he/she is not just checking for cavities, but for information about your overall health. The mouth serves as an early warning system. Many health problems such as, nutritional deficiencies and disorders, microbial infections, immune disorders, heart disease, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancer can be detected by your dentist.

Periodontal disease and tooth decay are the most prevalent dental diseases. Infections of the mouth, the report states, "are a gateway for disease-causing bacteria to enter the bloodstream and provoke a number of diseases." Oral bacteria found in plaque can be life threatening to those with heart valve defects. It can cause fatty deposits in the carotid arteries in your neck, which may break loose and cause a stroke, according to Dr. John Marler of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Bacteria from the mouth can travel to the stomach and produce painful ulcers. The bacterial infection caused by periodontal disease diminishes the body's ability to manage insulin levels, creating huge ramifications for diabetics.

"Serious oral disorders may undermine self-image and self-esteem, discourage normal social interaction, and lead to chronic stress and depression as well as incurring great financial cost," states Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D. "They may also interfere with vital functions such as breathing, eating, swallowing, and speaking. The burden of disease restricts activities in school, work, and home, and often significantly diminishes the quality of life."

The Surgeon General's report reinforces and supports what your dentist already knows and has been telling you for years. Decay and periodontal disease might be the most widespread dental diseases, but they are also the most preventable. Daily brushing and flossing will remove much of the plaque causing bacteria. Brushing your tongue and roof of your mouth will remove more. Visiting your dentist at least twice a year for a thorough oral and head/neck skin cancer exam and following his/her recommendations for hygiene therapy, x-rays, and dental treatment will guarantee that your "early warning system" is properly monitored. If your mouth is a mirror of your overall health and well being, than your smile is the reflection of your self-image and self-esteem. Choose a dentist who understands and designs a treatment plan for both.

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