Mind, Body, Mouth, it’s all connected | Dental Health Week 2023

Dental Health Week (DHW) is the Australian Dental Association’s (ADA) major annual oral health campaign that takes place in August. In 2023 we are looking at the importance of care your mouth AND yourself.

Seymour Dental’s motto is:

We are dedicated to providing personal care to assist you in achieving excellent health outcomes for life!

This year we are focusing on the mouth and whole-body connection. There are links between diseases in the mouth and diseases in the body. Bacteria in the mouth can travel to different sites of the body and inflammation in the mouth can increase the body’s overall inflammation.

In light of these and other findings, this year’s DHW campaign will explore six connections:

• Atherogenic Cardiovascular Disease and other heart issues
• Type II Diabetes
• Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
• Respiratory Conditions
• Neurodegenerative Disease such as Alzheimer’s disease

Something people may not be aware of is how closely their oral and general health is connected, and how oral hygiene can have a marked effect on their overall wellbeing.

The messaging of ‘Mind, Body, Mouth. It’s all connected’ aims to drive home the point to people that brushing and flossing their teeth, seeing their dentist regularly, and eating well and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, all play key roles in their body’s health.

“It’s been recognised for decades that systemic inflammation can influence the onset and severity of oral disease and that it goes both ways; inflammation of the gums can affect inflammation in other parts of the body,” said Prof. Nimmo from James Cook University.

His work referenced a 2016 World Health Organization study that revealed that more than 3.5 billion people had an oral disease of some kind, with more than 100 systemic diseases associated with “oral manifestations”, and that people are in need of health education overall, especially those with heart disease and diabetes.

The ADA has worked closely with organisations such as Rethink Sugary Drink, Cancer Council, Heart Foundation and the AMA.

Dentists have a key role to educate patients on the possible connections between oral health and systemic health conditions.