At Smiles By Shields we believe that maintaining a healthy body is the most important job you will ever have. This is why we place so much emphasis on dental health. The health of your mouth plays a major part in your whole body health, and it’s important to understand this connection. Inflammation is one of the most dangerous things that can occur in your body. While it doesn’t seem like it can cause many problems, inflammation is the root cause of many different disorders and diseases. Controlling inflammation can be achieved through many means, and by doing so you can improve your quality of life and level of overall health.

What Is Inflammation?

Inflammation is the body’s first line of defense against disease. When you get an infection your body will send white blood cells to the area to fight off the infection, and this is known as inflammation.  While inflammation helps our bodies heal, it can also cause great harm if the inflammation never goes away. In cases of chronic inflammation, the body is never healed and a constant state of inflammation exists. By giving the body what it needs to heal, you can help control chronic inflammation and lift the burden of constant healing from your body.

Inflammation can become perilous because it takes a huge toll on the body. Taxing the immune system all day every day makes it very difficult for the body to function correctly. It can make it very difficult for the body to fight other sources of infection and can be very dangerous for those with autoimmune disorders to begin with.

Periodontitis

One of the most commonly inflamed areas of the body is the gums. We refer to chronically inflamed gums as periodontal disease and it affects more than half of American adults. It begins when bacteria is not cleaned away from the gums and teeth twice every day. Bacteria turns into plaque and makes its way under the gum line and becomes an irritant that causes disease in the body. When plaque and bacteria is stuck, the body’s immune system kicks into high gear. Sending white blood cells to the gums to fight off the infection. If you brush your teeth and floss every day, you can help your body fight the infection by removing the bacteria, however if it is left on the teeth and inflammation persists, periodontitis is possible. This chronic inflammation can do much more harm than just puffy gums. Eventually it will cause the teeth to fall out and the underlying bone to deteriorate. Further, periodontal disease has also been linked to several other chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, and pancreatic cancer. Treating inflammation can do much more than just protect your teeth.

How To Treat Inflammation

The first way to fight inflammation in your mouth is to stop it from happening in the first place. By brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing once each day, you can easily keep your mouth free of bacteria. By keeping your mouth free of bacteria your immune system will not have to work overtime and become inflamed.

The second way to fight inflammation is to provide yourself with nourishment it needs to fight disease properly and heal in a timely fashion. The body works best when it is fueled correctly, and many healthy foods are also very good for aiding the immune system and healing chronic inflammation. By adding a mix of these healthy foods along with a healthy oral hygiene habit, you can give your body the best advantage to fight inflammation. Foods that fight inflammation include:

• Ginger – Ginger has been used as a medicine for thousands of years, most well known uses of ginger have been to relieve the stomach pains. It is very antiinflammatory and can be eaten fresh or in tea.
• Tumeric – Tumeric is an amazing spice that provides a multitude of health benefits, aiding inflammation being one of them. Turmeric is a bright yellow spice that is found in Indian food, and can be mixed in almond milk for a nice anti-inflammatory drink.
• Green Tea – Green tea is another great source of natural, anti-inflammatory goodness. It is soothing and also contains other tooth-healthy, periodontal disease fighting properties.

If  you have questions about how you can help your body fight diseases and curb inflammation, give our Jacksonville, Florida dental office a call today. Dr. Shields can help you learn how to calm your inflammation, and prevent oral disease today!