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Why Dental Cleanings Are Important For Your Overall Health

Dental Cleanings at Lakeshore Dental Studio in Chicago

Why Dental Cleanings Are Important For Your Overall Health

By Lakeshore Dental Studio

Your oral health is very important. That’s not just because your teeth and gums need to stay healthy so that you can chew and speak without pain or discomfort, but because your oral health affects your overall health, too. 

How do regular teeth cleanings help keep you healthy? In this blog from Lakeshore Dental Studio, we’ll take a look at a few reasons why dental cleanings are so important for your overall health. 

1. Prevent Infections & Inflammation From Cavities & Gum Disease

Cavities and gum disease are obviously bad for your oral health, but they can be dangerous for your overall health, too. Cavities can progress into infected teeth or “abscesses.” In some cases, the bacteria from an infected tooth can spread throughout the mouth or body, resulting in a potentially life-threatening infection. 

Gum disease also can harm your overall health if it’s left untreated. This is because the bacteria in your gums may also spread through your body. There is evidence that these bacteria could inflame your blood vessels and parts of your heart, which may increase your risk of a heart attack and a stroke. 

2. Keep Your Immune System Strong 

By avoiding oral infections from gum disease and tooth decay, dental cleanings help you keep your immune system strong. How? It’s simple.

If your body has to send immune cells to your mouth to deal with an infection, these antibodies, white blood cells, and other cells can’t respond to other threats in your body like the flu, common cold, or even COVID-19. 

In contrast, if your mouth is healthy, your body’s immune system will be able to respond to these threats more easily, which could prevent you from getting sick. 

3. Identify Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is a very serious and deadly type of cancer, and most general physicians will not notice its signs until it has progressed from your mouth and spread throughout the rest of your body. 

In contrast, dentists can easily spot signs of early-stage oral cancer, which leads to much better overall patient outcomes. Dr. Kapil Kella provides an oral cancer screening as part of every routine six-month oral exam and teeth cleaning. 

4. Your Dentist May Recognize Signs Of Other Health Issues Like Diabetes

Your oral health provides a “window” into other aspects of your health. For example, dentists can sometimes diagnose the signs of diabetes if your mouth shows certain warning signs, like:

  • Severe gum disease
  • Xerostomia (dry mouth) 
  • Oral fungal infections (thrush)
  • A high rate of tooth decay
  • Delayed oral wound healing

Come To Lakeshore Dental Studio To Keep Your Mouth And Body Healthy

Your oral health is an important part of your whole-body health. So if you’re overdue for preventive dentistry like a teeth cleaning,, we highly recommend contacting Lakeshore Dental Studio online or giving us a call at (773) 365-9928 to schedule the care you need. Dr. Kapil Kella is always accepting new patients in Andersonville and Chicago, so get started now.