Your oral health is directly connected to the health of the rest of your body. A dentist says issues that start in your mouth can actually prevent doctors from doing a needed medical procedure.
"In a lot of cases, we will get a letter from the orthopedic surgeon or some other type of surgeon that wants us to rule out, asses and treat any other issues that could complicate other surgeries," Dr. David Guerra of Guerra Dental said.
He said you may not have realized something happening in your mouth can directly affect the health of other parts of your body.
"I just saw a patient that we recently had to remove a couple of teeth because the infection from those teeth was deemed too much. She was getting ready to undergo hip surgery, and the doctor wanted to make sure that no oral infections may contribute to complications of her hip surgery," he said.
Dr. Guerra said that’s just one of the many reasons it's important to see a dentist twice a year; not only to have your teeth cleaned, but also to have the overall health of your mouth evaluated.
“As dentists, we need to intervene because we may have a patient who is asymptomatic, but has these issues going on," he said. “At the forefront of that defense is the hygienist. {He or} she determines the level of the bacteria in the mouth. Is this going to put the patient at risk of developing other problems?”
He said that’s why dentists and hygienists are continually encouraging you to brush and floss daily.
Dr. Guerra said brushing and flossing your teeth will keep your smile beautiful, and will also make sure your mouth isn't the source of trouble for the rest of your body.
