{"id":1,"date":"2012-08-17T07:36:51","date_gmt":"2012-08-17T07:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.betteryoursmile.com\/?p=1"},"modified":"2026-04-03T14:07:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T14:07:55","slug":"oral-health-overall-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betteryoursmile.com\/blog\/oral-health-overall-health\/","title":{"rendered":"How Does Your Oral Health Affect Your Overall Health?"},"content":{"rendered":"\"\"<\/a>For some, it may still come as a surprise to hear that oral health and overall wellbeing are closely connected, but it\u2019s true. Last December, a report from The Wall Street Journal<\/a> revealed that what happens to your smile can influence what happens in the rest of your body. In this post, we\u2019d like to focus on two health problems in particular: cardiovascular disease and diabetes.\r\n\r\nA Bridge between Your Mouth and Your Body<\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen we say that your oral health affects your overall health, we\u2019re talking about a specific aspect of your oral health\u2014periodontal disease<\/strong>, which you might know better as gum disease.\r\n\r\nHow does periodontal disease<\/strong> affect overall health? By creating pockets between the teeth and gums. It\u2019s through these pockets that bacteria and plaque are able to gain access to the rest of the body. You might think of them acting like a bridge, a window, or better yet, a subway. From these pockets, these harmful things are carried to other parts of the body, where they can potentially cause other problems.\r\n\r\nThe heart, in particular, is vulnerable. That\u2019s because bacteria and plaque from the mouth can irritate the arteries, resulting in the production of a protective plaque that can harden and block the flow of blood. When blood flow is restricted, the result can be a heart attack, among other problems.\r\n\r\nThe connection between oral health and diabetes is more mysterious. Researchers and medical professionals are still debating whether patients with periodontal disease<\/strong> are more susceptible to diabetes or if it\u2019s the other way around. Regardless, the connection is no less real, and patients with diabetes are advised to pay close attention to the health of their gums.\r\n\r\nHow can our patients from Aurora<\/strong> and beyond do that? The best way is through great at-home care and with regular visits and cleanings at our dental office<\/a>. During your regular visit, Dr. Nicholas D\u2019Amico or Dr. Matt Mauck<\/a> will have the chance to examine your smile for signs of periodontal disease<\/strong> and other serious oral health conditions. We can also offer advice on any follow-up treatment you might need, in addition to helping you improve your at-home routine.\r\n\r\nCall us today<\/a> to schedule your next appointment!","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For some, it may still come as a surprise to hear that oral health and overall wellbeing are closely connected, but it\u2019s true. Last December, a report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that what happens to your smile can influence what happens in the rest of your body. In this post, we\u2019d like to focus on two health problems in particular: cardiovascular disease and diabetes. A Bridge between Your Mouth and Your Body When we say that your oral health affects your overall health, we\u2019re talking about a specific aspect of your oral health\u2014periodontal disease, which you might know better as gum disease. How does periodontal disease affect overall health? By creating pockets between […] (Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[10,5,4,8,9,6,7],"class_list":["post-1","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-dentistry","tag-aurora","tag-dr-matt-mauck","tag-dr-nicholas-damico","tag-gum-disease","tag-gum-disease-therapy","tag-periodontal-disease","tag-periodontal-therapy"],"yoast_head":"\nHow oral Health Affects Overall Health | Mauck & Ricci, DDS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your mouth and body are more connected than you think. 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