What is the most used entry way into your body? 

Your mouth, right? After all, you breathe through it, eat and drink with it, chew on pens and pencils when you’re nervous, and probably use your teeth as tools every once in a while. All of the aforementioned make your mouth a great area for germs and bacteria to enter your body and cause problems in your mouth and eventually beyond…unless, that is, you take exceptional care of your oral hygiene!

Brushing, flossing, using a mouth rinse, and going to the dentist; these four activities all play a huge role in maintaing your oral health and keeping you healthy. If you are not doing one or more of these things, you are slacking on your hygiene care. In addition to all of the above, if you have developed any form of gum disease, you will require a different type a cleaning from your dentist— deep cleanings —to keep your mouth healthy. If you are not receiving treatment for your gum disease, this is where the serious problems can start… 

“There’s a relationship between bacteria and the inflammation that bacteria cause in the mouth and a lot of other diseases,” says Dr. Donald Ratcliffe from Staten Island University Hospital. 

So, what kind of “other disease” is Dr. Ratcliffe referencing?

• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
• Difficulties in labor (premature birth)
• Bone disease (osteoporosis)
• Upper respiratory infections
• Types of dementia (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc.)

Are You Concerned About Your Oral Health?

If you are in or near the Beachwood, OH area, and are concerned about the health of your mouth and gums, feel free to schedule an appointment with Dr. Faist. Dr. Faist always welcomes new patients into his office who want to improve their lives by improving their oral health. 

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