Dr LZ Malunga
CEO of Refresh Dental
“A happy mouth is a happy body…”
The mouth is the doorway to our body and unfortunately, most people are unaware of the relationship between the mouth and chronic diseases such as: Halitosis commonly known as bad breath which majorly attributes from poor oral hygiene, dry mouth and gum disease.
Diabetic patients presenting with increased blood sugar levels result in a high amount of sugar in the saliva and thus have a higher prevalence of dental caries, gingivitis and periodontal disease.
In addition to that, Hypertension commonly known as high blood pressure leads to the change in blood circulation in the blood vessels; leading to ischemia (insufficient blood supply) to the supporting structure of the teeth and this decrease in blood supply favours the development of periodontal disease.
Lastly, as a nation with a high HIV infection rate people should also be aware of the following oral manifestations of HIV seen in patients who are not taking their medication daily and present with a low CD4 count. These oral manifestations are oral candidiasis( a white coating seen on the tongue), necrotising ulcerative periodontitis ( damage to the gums and underlying bone characterised by crater-like lesions), linear gingival erythema( a redline on the border of inflammed gums commonly seen on the anterior teeth), hairy leukoplakia ( a white-lesion commonly seen on the border of the tongue and the inside of the cheeks) and Kaposi Sarcoma( oral cancer).
In conclusion, the mouth can be an index of refinement ,the more you pay attention to its maintenance by visiting a Dentist, Dental therapists and Oral hygienists biannually and practicing good oral hygiene such as brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing daily, the greater the chance of having a harmonious systemic function.
