At our Georgetown dental office, we always want to provide a reliable, comfortable source of information and education for our patients about all aspects of dental health. Why? Because as time goes on and more studies are conducted there’s one thing that remains clear: There’s a link between what’s happening inside your mouth and what’s going in the rest of your body.
What is Oral Frailty?
Before we talk about a specific study led by researchers in Japan, we wanted to talk about something called “oral frailty.” This is what we look at in terms of this:
- How many teeth you have left
- How well you can chew food
- Difficulties with eating or swallowing
Having any or all of these three things can lead to an increased risk in overall frailty, disability, and even mortality.
Diabetes and Muscle Weakness
The study we just mentioned was conducted at Shimane University in Izumo, Japan. It concluded that there was a small, but significant increase in muscle damage and diabetes in patients with poor oral health. The fewer teeth a person had left and the worse their chewing ability was, the more likely they also had a weak grip and muscle deterioration. The same symptoms could be said with patients who also had diabetes.
Researchers speculated that people who couldn’t chew properly or who had missing teeth were likely to eat more soft, sugary foods and shortened mealtimes that could increase the risk of diabetes and even muscle issues. As it turns out, both of these things can cause your blood glucose levels to increase after you complete a meal.
What Can Your Georgetown Dentist Do?
To keep your mouth healthy and ward off any potential health risks, it’s always best to visit our Georgetown dental office every six months for a cleaning. This is where we can be proactive about your preemptive, preventive care to prevent tooth loss or unnecessary damage in the future. We can help you maintain your chewing ability with a variety of smile solutions including dental implants or dentures that can reduce your likelihood of conditions like this that tend to occur as part of the natural aging process.
Are you due for a visit or cleaning? Has it been a while since you’ve been to our dental office in Georgetown? It doesn’t matter. We’re still here for you and your smile. Contact us today online or call us at (512) 360-9368 to get scheduled for your next appointment!