After you are in rehab, what can you do in maintain better physical health? Believe it or not, your dental health is critical to your overall health. Your teeth and gums play a very important role in your health. How can you make sure that your oral health recovers during your addiction recovery?
Why Dental Health Is Important
Dental health is not only about having an outstanding smile. Strong oral health contributes to your overall health as well. Poor oral health can lead to pain. According to Delta Dental, poor dental health can do more than that as well. You can experience digestive disorders and "the heart and heart valves can become inflamed by bacterial endocarditis, a condition that affects people with heart disease or anyone with damaged heart tissue."
Strong dental health and a beautiful smile can also help those in addiction recovery move into recovery as happier, more settled people. Having no teeth or damaged teeth can impact your self esteem and your ability to eat and talk. This affects everything from getting a job to finding friends and a partner.
How Does Addiction Impact Dental Health?
When you are struggling with addiction, oral hygiene and nutrition can fall from the top of your list of priorities. Combine this with the many physical impacts of addiction, and you have a recipe for poor dental health.
According to WestLake Dental, "alcohol decreases saliva production, causing dry mouth." This reduces your mouth's ability to keep itself clean, and it can increase the likelihood of tooth decay. If you have used drugs or alcohol to the point of vomiting, this can also damage your tooth enamel, as can the smoke from meth use. Your gums will also experience damage if you smoke and use alcohol at the same time, and this can lead to teeth that are loose. Alcohol also changes the way that the cells in your mouth divide, which can increase the danger of oral cancer. According to the Oral Health Group, drugs can lead to changes in your bones, cause infections, and lead to movement changes that impact oral health.
Improving Your Dental Health
All of the information about your dental health and substance abuse can be depressing, but you can regain control of your oral health. Start by making a plan with medical professionals. That can involve changing your diet to support your oral health, drinking more water, brushing, flossing, and getting regular dental care. Adding calcium to your diet and ensuring that you are absorbing that calcium will help you preserve your teeth. If you have anxiety or problems with grinding, you may need to invest in a nightguard to avoid further damage. Some people also need to look at reconstructive surgery: from fillings to dentures or dental implants.
At Advanced Recovery Systems, we know that it is important for you to regain your health in addiction recovery. This not only includes your oral health but your overall mental and physical health as well. Learn how we can help you achieve wellness; contact us today.
