Although oral and dental health is generally associated with a beautiful smile and aesthetics, it is also considered an indicator of the well-being of our entire body. Because millions of bacteria and viruses in the oral cavity spread to different parts of the body through the blood and lymph circulation. As a result, factors that multiply and spread throughout the body cause diseases. Especially in the ongoing pandemic environment, we need to be more careful against Covid-19. Acıbadem Altunizade Hospital Dentist Dr., who pointed out that the severity of the disease increased in patients who caught Covid-19 with weakened oral hygiene. Hatice Ağan said, “It is known that those who have poor oral hygiene and have gum problems experience Covid 19 more severely. Oral hygiene is important not only in patients with Covid-19, but also before infection. It is thought that increased infection and inflammation in the body also play a role in catching the disease. Stating that the attention of the society was focused on Covid-19 during the pandemic process, Dentist Dr. Hatice Ağan said, “Apart from Covid-19, there are many bacteria and viruses that will threaten our general health. One of the ways of their transmission is the mouth. They multiply in the mouth, quickly spread throughout the body and cause disease. For this reason, it is urgently necessary to eliminate problems such as regular tooth brushing and mouth sores, tooth decay, where viruses and bacteria can easily multiply.” says.
Some infections do not cause pain but weaken the immune system.
Visiting the dentist is due to sore or decaying teeth rather than routine checkups. Stating that control is very important especially for the early detection of problems, Dentist Dr. Hatice Ağan, “A chronic infection in the mouth may not cause pain in the patient, may not affect the chewing function, but the body's defense cells open a front for the infection in this region and may cause a weakening of the immune system. However, the strong immune system is our greatest weapon in our fight against diseases. Our social awareness of how important immunity is, especially during the pandemic process, has increased. But there are other situations where our immunity must be very strong. For this reason, it is necessary to evaluate the teeth in detail while evaluating the foci of infection in the body before oncology treatment, heart surgeries and joint prosthesis surgeries. Treatments should be started after making sure of oral health," he says.
The most common chronic disease in the world: Dental Caries
The World Health Organization counts dental caries as one of the most common chronic diseases. Stating that while the average of decayed teeth in the 20-29 age group is approximately 1.5 in our country, the total average of decayed, filling and lost teeth over the age of 60 is close to 24, Dentist Dr. Hatice Ağan, emphasizing that infections caused by dental caries are an important factor in both lowering immunity and causing diseases, said, “Tooth decay is a condition that needs to be treated urgently, regardless of age. However, it is not given much importance, especially in childhood, as it will change anyway. However, in the first six years of age, dental caries is the most common after infectious diseases such as upper and lower respiratory tract infections and diarrhea. He draws attention to the fact that the hesitations about going to the dentists due to the pandemic also bring about an increase in the number of advanced dental caries and the resulting health problems.
Tooth fractures also increased during the pandemic period
Increasing anxiety and stress disorders with the corona virus epidemic also bring problems such as breaking teeth and fillings due to clenching. Noting that Covid-19 causes problems such as bleeding gums and exacerbation of existing dental diseases, as well as taste disorder, Dentist Dr. Hatice Agan continues:
“Oral cavity; It is rich in microorganisms because it accommodates both soft and hard surfaces together, the presence of saliva and gingival groove liquid that washes the surfaces, and it is open to the external environment, and it is a favorable environment for harmful bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory tract diseases to cause super infections. Gum diseases and dental caries; cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, pneumonia, Alzheimer's, egzama, stroke, obesity, preterm birth in pregnant women, low birth weight can cause many health problems. For this reason, it is of great importance to remove harmful microorganisms and bacteria from the mouth with regular oral care and tooth brushing, and to have regular controls.
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