How "Important" are our "Teeth" to "Optimal Health"?

Did you know that the mouth is the "gateway" to our "health"???

And it's the "entry" point to our "digestive" and "respiratory" tracts???

You see . . . the mouth can tell us a lot about the health of our body and it can show us signs of disease.

Okay . . . so today let's discover the possibilities . . . because there's a special relationship between "oral" health and "overall" wellness.

Our "teeth" and "gums can show us early warning signs of serious health conditions across the entire body . . . from lung cancer to heart disease to dementia.

And gum disease has been "linked" to heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, brain infections, pregnancy complications, infertility, erectile dysfunction, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.

So believe it or not . . . our "teeth" have an important role in whether we're healthy.

A good example would be . . .

Poor dental health . . . increases the risk of a bacterial infection in the bloodstream which can affect the heart valves. And tooth loss patterns are connected to "coronary artery disease". So where does this Western diet we love so much come into play???

Well . . . actually . . . the foods we "choose" and how "often" we eat them . . . can affect our general health.

As we already know . . . sugar-filled sodas, sweetened fruit drinks and nutritionally void snacks are a risk factor for tooth decay.

Now . . . spacing meals and beverages apart by at least 2 hours . . . can also reduce the risk of tooth decay and therefore, other health issues.

And why is this . . . you ask???

Well . . . the mouth produces "more saliva" during a meal to help digest our food and wash away food particles down the esophagus.

And "too much" . . . meaning eating all the time . . . leaves the body's health open to illness and disease.

Now . . . don't get me wrong . . . saliva is a good thing that we need for optimal health. It can keep the surface of teeth strong by contributing high levels of calcium and fluoride.

But . . . if you're a person that produces "too much" saliva in the mouth . . . this can cause "drooling" or you know . . . when you're talking and you feel your mouth fill up with too much spit . . . and with this . . . it leaves us wide open for allergies, tumors, strep throat, tonsil infections and sinusitis.

Okay . . . so what if we don't have enough . . . and have "dry mouth"???

Well . . . this is due to the glands that produce saliva swelling causing problems with swallowing and digestion issues.

And if we're NOT eating "nutritionally sound" food . . . our gums and other soft tissue inside the mouth can "bleed" easily.

Okay . . . so what are the worst foods to eat for oral health???

Well . . . tomorrow we'll find out.

As always, feel free to DM or contact me at: miraclemeadows.net/contact/