{"id":178,"date":"2017-07-14T19:37:15","date_gmt":"2017-07-14T19:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.waterburysmiles.com\/?p=178"},"modified":"2017-07-14T19:37:15","modified_gmt":"2017-07-14T19:37:15","slug":"dentist-waterbury-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waterburysmiles.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/dentist-waterbury-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Dentist in Waterbury Discusses the Oral-Systemic Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheEveryone knows that what you put in your mouth impacts your health and well being. You can eat whole grains and fresh produce or white bread and potato chips. You can choose to smoke cigarettes\u2014or not. But did you know that the health of your mouth itself plays an integral role in your overall health? Your dentist in Waterbury has several good ideas to help you enjoy a smile that is healthy and that helps you be healthy, too.<\/p>\n

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The Oral-Systemic Connection<\/h2>\n

The oral-systemic connection<\/a> refers to the health link between your mouth and your body. Specifically, we\u2019re talking about the bacteria in your mouth that cause periodontal disease. Bacteria live in plaque, which can be removed with daily oral hygiene care. However, if you don\u2019t bush and floss well every day, then plaque builds up between your teeth and along the gum line. Eventually, plaque hardens to become tartar, or calculus. At this point, the bacteria are literally stuck and need to be removed with professional periodontal therapy. Otherwise, gum disease is likely; bacteria begin to destroy gum and connective tissue and even bone tissue with time.<\/p>\n

A leading symptom of gum disease<\/a> is bleeding gums, which can allow oral bacteria to enter your bloodstream and travel to other parts of your body. Similarly, you might inhale oral bacteria into your respiratory system. Consequently, the same bacteria that infect your gums may also make you more susceptible to:<\/p>\n