How Oral Hygiene is Tied with Overall Health

Written by Henry Lin and Edited by Sorina Long

Image by Martin Slavoljubovski from Pixabay

When one thinks of proper oral hygiene, the first thoughts that come to mind are usually related to the maintenance of clean teeth and healthy gums. However, the word “oral” actually constitutes a much wider region that encompasses not only the teeth and gums (commonly referred to as the oral cavity), but also the tongue, salivary glands, lips, throat, jaws, and the nervous and lymphatic systems that connect the general mouth region to the rest of the body [1]. Given the complexity of the true oral region, a better name to describe it would be the craniofacial complex.

Understanding the true oral region as the craniofacial complex gives proper oral hygiene a whole new meaning and purpose, since improper maintenance will have greater implications for general health that exceeds beyond the oral cavity. To illustrate the connections that the craniofacial complex has with the rest of the body, oral tissues and cells associated with that region are increasingly being used in place of blood tests as diagnostic tools for disease progression [2]. One common household example of how this is used is checking the status of lymph nodes in your neck during illness. Swollen lymph nodes can often signify the presence of a cold or infection somewhere in the body and spur an individual to seek medical attention, if necessary. A more clinical example is in HIV testing that involves swabbing the oral cavity for fluids to be used in antibody tests that can identify the presence of the virus [3]. In addition to HIV testing, a simple check for abnormalities in the oral cavity can also be an early indicator of the disease since approximately 30-80% of individuals afflicted with the virus can develop oral lesions [4].

While testing done in the craniofacial complex, and specifically the oral cavity, can reveal the presence and progression of diseases in other regions of the body, the oral cavity also act a route of entry for various disease causing agents such as bacteria. Oral bacteria that are concentrated in the oral cavity is not an issue by itself, but it becomes a problem when it passes through injured tissues (possibly caused by brushing too hard) or infected gum tissues (periodontitis), and enters the bloodstream. If oral bacteria in the bloodstream replicate excessively, it can cause a condition known as bacteremia [1]. Bacteremia is usually harmless in individuals with a healthy immune system, but for those who are immunocompromised, it can pose a significant health risk [1]. Bacteremia can also pose another threat in the form of endocarditis, which is a condition when bacteria from the bloodstream attach to damaged or weakened sections of the heart valves, causing infection [1]. Depending on the specific type of bacteria causing endocarditis, the infection can either progress rapidly and be fatal, or slowly progress and be generally unobtrusive. For the latter, endocarditis can be effectively treated when detected early on. Some studies further suggest a possible connection between oral infections and various diseases, including but not limited to: diabetes, heart diseases, strokes, and possible pregnancy issues [5].

Since the craniofacial complex, in particular the oral cavity, is complexly interrelated to the rest of the body and thus linked to our overall health, it is important to properly maintain its health. In addition to the recommended careful daily flossing and brushing, individuals should also maintain a preventative mindset [6]. One study revealed that the most common reason in young adults for not visiting the dentist once a year was because they perceived they had no oral issues [1]. However, one should still try and visit the dentist yearly even if no detrimental conditions appear to exist, because some conditions, just like cavities, may not immediately be noticeable [7].

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