Healthy teeth are important for a healthy mouth-body connection

Did you know the health of your mouth is important because your mouth is connected to your body? There are different organs in your body that can be affected by your oral health. The worksheet below shows you how your oral health plays a big role in your overall health. Discover how healthy teeth also connect to the health of your brain, heart, lungs, pancreas and kidneys.

Bad oral health is connected to higher risk of strokes due to increased susceptibility to blood clots. Additionally, respiratory infections occur when dental plaque established in the mouth spreads to the lungs, heart attacks and other heart conditions due to inflammation associated with periodontal diseases, faster infection manifestations and increased stress on the kidneys. Additionally, diabetes can cause gingivitis and other oral diseases.

Also, learn about how periodontal diseases play a role in preterm birth during pregnancy, bone loss leading to tooth loss and an increased risk of breast cancer. Use the discussion questions to recall what oral diseases are associated with strokes, what can happen as a result of plaque establishment in the mouth and how poor dental health is able to impact the kidneys.

Keep your mouth clean so that you can keep the rest of your body just as healthy!

Here is a handy guide and discussion questions to download and explore at home or in the classroom.

Want to learn more about the mouth-body connection? Hear directly from a dental hygienist about the connection between the mouth and the body and why it’s so important to take care of your oral health if you want better overall health.