dental health
Big picture: Dr. Puja Upal “Taking care of your teeth can have a positive impact on your life.”
In the news: New data continues to show that dental health is linked to mental and physical health.
Key Point: COVID and current economic problems The amount of dental care practiced by people in Arizona has decreased dramatically. This may lead to a worse future dementia risk profile and worse mental health outcomes. not good!
You should know: Losing teeth is a big concern for you and your healthcare team.
Did you know that 20.9% of adults in Pima County have depression? Did you say that 15.8% of adults in Pima County smoke?
good news here It means that preventive measures can be taken to avoid tooth loss.
Next steps: Because dental care is expensive, you should know that many clinics in Pima County offer discounts on regular dental care. (access resources)
Physician Insights on Dental Health and Physical Health
Can smoking cause tooth loss?
yes! Smoking reduces blood flow in and around teeth, preventing proper healing. This can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and ultimately tooth loss.
Smoking constricts blood vessels, including those in your gums. This reduction in blood flow leads to a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients to the gum tissue. This impairs the gums’ ability to heal and maintain a healthy environment for the teeth.
Go to the dentist regularly. Wear a night guard to manage your anxiety and prevent chronic bruxism and TMJ problems.
Watch your blood sugar. Note the A1c value. Also, if you have chronic dry mouth, understand that this can worsen your dental health. Talk to your medical team!
What are the 3 diseases associated with tooth loss?
dementia: Tooth loss may contribute to the development of dementia due to chronic inflammation caused by periodontal disease and tooth decay. I have.
Heart disease: Chronic inflammation caused by periodontal disease and tooth decay spreads throughout the body, including blood vessels, and causes atherosclerosis. This condition increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Chronic headaches and jaw pain/bone loss: Missing teeth can cause an imbalanced bite and put too much pressure on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The result is headaches and jaw pain. Additionally, missing teeth can break down the jawbone, leading to facial collapse, speech problems, and even limiting the use of dental implants.
Excessive use of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can lead to severe headaches that greatly affect an individual’s quality of life.
Life expectancy in Pima County is 78.5 years.
9.0% of adults have diabetes. 28.0% of your girlfriends have high blood pressure. And 17.7% of your girlfriends don’t have health insurance.
All of these variables can affect your dental and mental health.
What they say:
“Research suggests that mental health and oral health may be correlated, and links mental health problems to tooth loss, gum disease, and tooth decay. The pandemic has had an alarming impact on the mental and emotional health of individuals and communities.” (Primary information)
“Research on the link between poor mental health and poor oral health is lacking. However, several studies in this area shed light on potential reasons for this link. Low priority of oral health, deterioration of oral and mental health status by health care providers, and lack of alternative service models in dental settings for people with heightened fear and anxiety and/or mental health problems have been identified as some of the underlying reasons for this association. [1, 2].” (Ditto)
Arizona Dental Health
The chart below shows the percentage of adults who lost their teeth in each Arizona county. Data is cool. many of our neighbors are suffering What we often don’t consider or consider–Unmet dental health.
Health Criteria Newswire. Data/CDC
sauce:
journal The Forefront of Oral Health I published a paper: Associations between mental health and oral health status and care utilization (read here)
health standards newswire
