Oral Health – Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth: What your teeth may be telling you

Did you know that your oral health can actually indicate other health problems? Oral health can influence, or have direct connections to, health issues. Mental health can have a direct correlation to dental diseases; if you are feeling depressed, you have less motivation to keep up on oral hygiene.

Poor oral health can also cause endocarditis (inflammation of the inner lining of your heart). Bacteria from your teeth and gums travels into your blood stream and deposits inside of your heart, leading to infections.

Read more about the affects oral hygiene has on the rest of your health and how to prevent these problems starting on page 19 of the fall edition Healthy You magazine. You can access this magazine on the HU Portal under Personnel > Benefits > Wellness Handouts or by going to the home page of umr.com. On the right side of the page, click on the Healthy You Magazine tile. You do not need to be enrolled in the HU Health Plan to access this informational magazine. Healthy reading.