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Oral health: A window to your overall health
Gum disease can let bacteria enter your bloodstream and wreak havoc elsewhere in your body. Or sometimes, signs of a disease may first show up in your mouth.
By Mayo Clinic staff

Although the eyes may be the window to the soul, your mouth is a window to your body's health. The state of your oral health can offer lots of clues about your overall health. Oral health and overall health are more connected than you might realize.

Your oral health is connected to many other health conditions beyond your mouth. Sometimes the first sign of a disease shows up in your mouth. In other cases, infections in your mouth, such as gum disease, can cause problems in other areas of your body. Learn more about this intimate connection between oral health and overall health.
The connection between oral health and overall health

Your mouth is normally teeming with bacteria. Usually you can keep these bacteria under control with good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing. Saliva also is a key defense against bacteria and viruses. It contains enzymes that destroy bacteria in different ways. But harmful bacteria can sometimes grow out of control and lead to periodontitis, a serious gum infection.

When your gums are healthy, bacteria in your mouth usually don't enter your bloodstream. However, gum disease may provide bacteria a port of entry into your bloodstream. Sometimes invasive dental treatments also can allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. And medications or treatments that reduce saliva flow or disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in your mouth also may lead to oral changes, making it easier for bacteria to enter your bloodstream. Some researchers believe that these bacteria and inflammation from your mouth are linked to other health problems in the rest of your body.

Above article from Mayoclinic.com









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Champlain Smiles Dental Office
Telephone 518.324.CARE
Airport Plaza 762 Route 3
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

Preventive Dental Care Plattsbrugh NY

Flossing for oral health

You can't reach the tight spaces between your teeth or under your gumline with a toothbrush. That's why daily flossing is important. When you floss:

* Don't skimp. Break off about 18 inches of dental floss. Wind most of the floss around the middle finger on one hand, and the rest around the middle finger on the other hand — leaving about 1 inch to floss your first tooth.
* Take it one tooth at a time. Use your thumbs and forefingers to gently pull the floss from the gumline to the top of the tooth to scrape off plaque. Rub the floss against all sides of the tooth. Unwind to fresh floss as you progress to the next tooth.
* Keep it up. If you have trouble getting floss through your teeth, try the waxed variety. If it's hard to manipulate the floss, use a floss holder or an interdental cleaner — such as a dental pick or stick designed to clean between the teeth.

Above article from Mayoclinic.com

Cosmetic Dentistry
Champlain Smiles Dental Office
Telephone 518.324.CARE
Airport Plaza 762 Route 3
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

Dental Care Plattsburgh NY

Brushing for oral health

Oral health begins with clean teeth. Consider these brushing basics from the American Dental Association:

* Brush your teeth at least twice a day. When you brush, don't rush. Take enough time to do a thorough job.
* Use the proper equipment. Use a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Consider using an electric or battery-operated toothbrush, especially if you have arthritis or other problems that make it difficult to brush effectively.
* Practice good technique. Hold your toothbrush at a slight angle against your teeth and brush with short back-and-forth motions. Remember to brush the inside and chewing surfaces of your teeth, as well as your tongue. Avoid vigorous or harsh scrubbing, which can irritate your gums.
* Know when to replace your toothbrush. Invest in a new toothbrush or a replacement head for your electric toothbrush every three to four months — or sooner if the bristles become frayed.

Above article from Mayoclinic.com

Dentist Plattsburg NY
Champlain Smiles Dental Office
Telephone 518.324.CARE
Airport Plaza 762 Route 3
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

General Dentistry Plattsburgh NY

Nutritious Foods for Healthy Teeth

Eat nutritious foods. What your child eats, and how often they eat, has a dramatic impact on their oral and overall health. Consuming foods high in sugar or starch feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Promote healthy eating habits in childhood and teen years to promote optimal health, growth and intellectual development into adulthood.

Above article from YourDentalCareTips.com

General Dentist Plattsburgh NY
Champlain Smiles Dental Office
Telephone 518.324.CARE
Airport Plaza 762 Route 3
Plattsburgh, NY 12901