The Impact Of Obesity On Oral Health
Controlling your weight can help lead to a healthier mouth
There are a number of reasons why people might become obese. For the unfortunate few, it can be caused by a medical condition and for some it may be at least partially hereditary. For most of us though, obesity stems from eating too much and exercising too little. Most of us will be aware by now that this can contribute to a number of medical conditions, but it may well be less known that being overweight can also make a difference to your oral health as well.
As part of our preventative strategy, helping our Bedford dental patients to have as healthy a mouth as possible, The Dental Centre Bedford team takes a look at how obesity impacts oral health and what you can do to help control it.
Sugar
The most obvious issue surrounding obesity and poor tooth health is the likelihood that sugars play a significant role in the diet of someone who is overweight. Whilst other factors such as a high fat intake can also contribute, cakes, biscuits and other sweet things are often found in the shopping basket of someone with this health condition. As we know, sugar is a major contributing factor to tooth decay, feeding, as it does, the potentially harmful bacteria in our mouths which then produce the acids that eat away at the enamel of our teeth. Once the enamel has become sufficiently compromised, the bacteria can then enter the softer part of the tooth leading to tooth decay (and often toothache) as well as further complications such as root canal infections.
As many people have predicted, it appears that a 2nd wave of the Covid-19 virus is on its way or already here.
As the peak of the pandemic has passed, at least for now, most of us are coming out of our ‘lockdown mentality’, even if very cautiously. Whilst some of us may have been raring to get going again, others will have been more cautious and perhaps even fearful in some cases.
There is no getting away from it; lockdown has been tough for some people and this is especially true financially. Small business owners that have had to close their premises for a few months will almost certainly have taken a large financial hit.
It probably feels like a long time since you last saw the welcoming faces of the team at The Dental Centre Bedford? The good news is that we are now open again and are able to help you get your oral health back on course.
It is probably fair to say that all of us, in some way, have been affected by the current situation surrounding the Covid-19 virus. Even if we, or those around us, have not been directly affected by the virus itself, the lockdown will almost certainly have taken a toll in one way or another.
Because dental practices across the UK are closed for all but urgent emergency advice, a lot of focus is being placed on keeping teeth healthy with the intention of avoiding the need for treatment. This is important of course, but we should not forget to take similar care of our gums as well.
Although it has not yet been officially announced, it is looking increasingly certain that the current lockdown due to the Covid-19 virus will be extended, perhaps for a few more weeks yet. This won’t be good news for many of us who might be struggling at this time, but we do encourage all patients of 
Viruses are big news at the moment. It is difficult to ascertain how serious the current situation might end up being but it does serve to highlight the importance of limiting the spread of viruses in general.