The Mouth-Body Chain: Oral Health Can Influence Overall Health

Experts claim good dental hygiene is important not just for your smile, but for your overall health

Do you have a hankering for junk food and a fondness for desserts? Junk food and sugar-laden desserts might be notorious for causing weight gain if consumed in excess, but these culprits can also cause bad oral hygiene. Concentrating on oral hygiene may seem like a paltry thing – after all, it's just a toothache and not a heart problem – but what isn't commonly known is that a lack of oral hygiene can also lead to other more serious health complications. Studies show that poor oral hygiene can lead to cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, respiratory infections and diabetic complications.

Oral hygiene, or lack thereof, has become a cause for concern in the UAE. Children, especially, are affected by it. Statistics from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) show that 80% of children aged between 12 and 15 have unhealthy gums, while for 15 to 17 year olds, this figure stands at 57%. The report also indicated that 62.5% of 5 to 7-year-olds require treatment for cavities in the UAE.

So, which factors contribute to bad oral hygiene in the UAE's population?

“Often, people don't recognise the connection between the food they consume, the times they consumer it at and their overall oral health. Eating multiple sugary snacks multiple times during the day and in between meals, keeps the acidity levels of mouth bacteria high, which in turn opens up the door to painful infections. That's why it's necessary to correct such behaviour in childhood,” says Dr. Kathrin Trelles, a Dubai-based implantologist and cosmetic laser dentist. Dr. Trelles is also the founder of state-of-the-art dentistry, plastic and aesthetic laser surgery clinic Vilafortuny.

She further adds: “Another reason for avoiding visits to the dentist is dental anxiety. Often the fear of drills and needles is so severe in some individuals that they do not visit the dentist until the problem has escalated to painful proportions when, ideally, they should be going for annual checkups to prevent the onset of such dental problems.”

Dental anxiety afflicts not only children but adults too. A study conducted on college students in the UAE revealed that at least 36% suffered from various forms of dental anxiety and many had not been to the dentist for more than two years.

“Dental anxiety is a cause of concern because it prevents children and adults from having their teeth cleaned and treated which could possibly prevent severe dental problems in the future. Other contributing factors to dental phobia include having a painful experience in the past, a fear of choking, fearing the sound of the drilling machine or being embarrassed by bad oral health,” explains Dr. Trelles.

Fortunately, the words ‘dental surgery' no longer have to elicit fear. With recent advances in technology, many routine procedures can now be completed quickly, painlessly and without the need for drills and needles. Heat, vibration and pressure are the primary causes of pain associated with the use of the traditional dental drill, but with the advent of laser dentistry these causes are marginalised.

The latest high-tech laser being used in Dubai's dental clinics is Waterlase. This laser is considered a gentle alternative to traditional dentistry methods: it drills teeth, removes bone and preforms soft tissue removal, all without the pain and discomfort associated with traditional dentistry. It also provides immediate relief from painful cold sores, blisters and eradicates the recurrence of such lesions.

“Causes which lead to bad oral health can be mitigated. The consumption of sugary foods should be reduced and a healthy diet should be encouraged. The importance of good oral health care needs to be emphasised from an early age. Meanwhile, laser technology can help combat dental anxiety,” notes Dr. Trelles.

But where do you turn to if your dental anxiety has prevented regular check-ups to the point of severe tooth and gum decay?

“That's where cosmetic dentistry comes in,” says Dr. Trelles. “Cosmetic procedures span everything from dental crowns to restore the size and appearance of teeth, veneers to correct chipped or misaligned teeth, to gum and teeth whitening to reduce stains. Cosmetic dentistry is growing heavily in popularity in the UAE. ”