Good Oral Health And Digestive Issues – The Link

If you suffer from digestion problems, it might not be your stomach that is the cause.

Before we delve into the link between poor oral health and digestive issues, it is important to note that you should always contact your GP if you are concerned about your problem. Unless it gets very severe though, most people will probably take over the counter indigestion medication to counter any problems such as indigestion or heartburn.

Although it can be caused by a number of other factors, it remains a fact that many of us don’t chew our food correctly or for long enough,  and swallow too much of our food before it is broken down properly in the mouth. This then puts additional stress on the body further down the digestive system, sometimes resulting in discomfort.

Let us take a look then at how our digestive system is impacted by our overall oral health.

Mastication

The first thing that happens when we put food into our mouth, if it is solid, is that we chew it. We rarely do this for long enough though and it should be remembered that digestion starts at this point and not in the stomach. Ideally we should chew our food long enough to break it down into small pieces before swallowing it. This can be difficult to do if you have teeth that are missing or broken, or where sore or inflamed gums caused by gum disease make chewing painful. You shouldn’t put up with this though; make an appointment to see us at your Wickford dentist today.

Saliva production

If you have seen wildlife programmes, you will notice that some insects salivate on their food to break it down before eating. This process also occurs when we put food into our mouth. If you put something reasonably solid in your mouth and just leave it there a few minutes, you will notice that it starts to break down. This is another reason to make sure that you chew for long enough to allow the enzymes in your saliva to start the digestive process. This is also another good reason to drink plenty of water to enable a healthy amount of saliva. As we have mentioned previously, this will also help to prevent gum disease as well.

Swallowing food

In order to fully digest our food, we have to swallow it of course. This is something of a reflex action that we probably think very little about and if we are in good health, this shouldn’t be a problem. Attempting to swallow food that is dry and not mixed with saliva will prove more difficult though and again, drinking plenty of water will help to maintain this. In some cases, difficulties in swallowing could be a symptom of serious oral health issues such as mouth cancer. This not only can affect the mouth but also the neck and throat areas. We routinely check for possible symptoms when you have a check up at the Cygnet Dental Practice so please don’t skip these. If you do, it may not just be your teeth and gums that you are putting at risk.

As you can see, if you don’t have a healthy set of teeth and gums, it can prove quite difficult to chew and swallow your food which is the first step in the digestive process. If food is swallowed without being chewed properly, a number of things may happen.

• Nutrition from the food may be absorbed more slowly or not fully
• Your stomach will have to work harder, possibly producing more acid and leading to indigestion
• Discomfort from bloating and gas could be a problem

If you find that you are struggling to chew your food efficiently, it may be due to dental issues. The first step to take is to arrange to have your teeth checked by one of our dentists who can assess them and, if necessary, put a treatment plan into place. This could involve one or more of the following.

• Dental hygienists visit to help clear up any gum disease that is present.
• Fillings for any teeth with tooth decay and cavities
• Crowns where a tooth is broken or is weak and needs strengthening
• Orthodontic treatment where a patient has an uneven bite which is causing difficulties
• Dental implants to replace any missing teeth that may be causing issues. This might especially apply where rear teeth are missing as they are used for much of the chewing action.

If you would like to arrange an appointment to see one of our Wickford dentists, you can do so by calling the Cygnet Dental Practice on 01268 733078.