Healthy teeth make for a beautiful smile, but are you aware that a healthy mouth also safeguards your hearing?
Harmful bacteria that grows in your mouth as a result of bad oral health can get into your bloodstream and cause inflammation and narrowing of arteries and blood vessels – including those essential for hearing health in your ears and brain.
There are hair cells called stereocilia in our inner ear that turn sound into electrical vibrations. These vibrations get sent to the brain for interpretation via the auditory nerve.
If these hair cells ever get damaged, they cannot be regenerated, inevitably causing you to develop hearing loss. We do lose our hearing as we age, but poor oral and dental health can speed this process up.
To hear well we need an abundant supply of blood to the cochlea. Circulation of blood is essential to good hearing so having a healthy heart is also associated with healthy hearing. Heart disease, heart attack, and stroke have been proven to have a strong correlation with infections in the mouth and gum disease. Bacteria from the mouth can cause inflammation anywhere in the body which can impede blood flow and form clots.
Wisdom teeth are molars that erupt in our teens, potentially causing pain in the jaw, headaches, and earaches. If wisdom teeth are impacted, they can become infected which can lead to inflammation, which can be a factor in hearing loss. If you have problems with wisdom teeth, get to the dentist right away.
Develop these habits to ensure proper oral hygiene and good hearing
- Visit the dentist every 6 months for a cleaning and a checkup.
- Brush your teeth twice a day.
- Floss properly, changing the floss and few teeth.
- After brushing, rinse your brush and keep it uncovered to air dry.
- Change your toothbrush every 3-4 months.
Preventative care takes effort and should be a priority throughout our lives. Teeth might be small, but they have a mighty impact on our overall health. Don’t wait until it’s too late! For more information on caring for your teeth and other wellness tips read more articles from Dr. Mauricio Hervas.
Dr. Hervas and his talented team at Implantation Dental Center in South Florida provides a full range of advanced prosthodontics and periodontal services, including state of the art dental implant placement, single implant crown, implant supported denture and bone and soft tissue regeneration. Call Implantation Dental Center today at 954-476-0770 to learn how we can help you achieve your best smile.
