Happy New Year from NorthStar Dental!
We’re here to start the New Year off right. We feel education is important and that’s exactly what we plan to do in our article is educate YOU. The benefits of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle might surprise you! Here we’ll discuss:
- How is dental health related to overall health? We’ll explain the connection!
- What are the signs of inflammation in the body? We will discuss inflammation and how it affects the body.
- What is an anti-inflammatory lifestyle? Learn about lifestyle changes that can help you!
What is your New Year’s Resolution? We know ours. We’re going to keep providing excellent, affordable dentistry for North Lincoln. Our team is also growing here at Lincoln Family Dentistry! We’re a part of Nebraska Family Dentistry. That means we work hard to provide great dental care. We’re looking forward to big things in 2017! Our dentists are wondering, “How will you grow this year?”
Thank you for letting us provide dental care to you and your family in 2016. We’re looking forward to helping our patients again this year. Our team is here to help you achieve a healthier mouth and body. And we’re committed to this going into 2017.
In 2016 we learned a lot. For instance, our latest research findings are on overall health and dental health. The two are very connected, according to research. We’d also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Erica, our hygienist at Northstar. She provided this Lunch & Learn to share with all of you.
Here at Northstar, we want to help you take care of your overall health, not just your teeth. We know that recent research has shown huge developments in the relationship between oral and overall health. We’re here to not only help you have a healthy, happy smile. However, we also want to help you find that for your whole body! We encourage you to check out this Lunch & Learn. In it, Erica shows the link between systemic health and inflammation in the body.
The Dental and Overall Health Connection
- Autoimmune conditions are all connected. One central process in the body dominates them: systemic inflammation. Systemic inflammation results in the body attacking its own tissues.
- We are facing multiple epidemics. These include allergic (60 million people), asthmatic (30 million people), and autoimmune disorders (24 million people). Autoimmune diseases include the following:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Lupus
- Psoriasis
- Celiac Disease
- Certain forms of Thyroid disease
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Inflammatory Bowel Disorder
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Periodontal (Gum) Disease
(Data from CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
- Inflammation is characterized as acute or chronic. Acute inflammation is a normal and comparatively short-lived physiologic response (lasting minutes to days) to injury, irritation, or infection. The physiologic processes responsible for acute inflammation leads to redness, swelling, heat, and discomfort at the affected site. This type is important for healing and survival.
- Chronic inflammation is a long-term physiologic response (lasting weeks, months, or years). It’s a response to one or more factors, including exposure to environmental toxins, a microbial or viral infection, poor nutrition, stress, and processes related to aging. Chronic inflammation is activated when the mechanisms of acute inflammation fail to arrest infection or heal an injury. When unchecked, prolonged chronic inflammation generates a series of adverse reactions. These reactions damage cells and eventually lead to the clinical symptoms of the disease. Ultimately, chronic inflammation is a failure of the body’s immune system. Unlike normal, it means the system can’t maintain a healthy homeostasis. This leads to the autoimmune condition.
- Our Mouth and its relation to Overall Inflammation: Periodontal disease is an Inflammatory condition.
- Taking good care of your teeth and gums is about more than preventing cavities or bad breath. At Lincoln Family Dentistry, we know that the mouth is a window into the body. The mouth can show signs of total body inflammation or distress. Gingivitis and periodontal disease are common manifestations of overall body inflammation.
- The following suggestions have been shown to significantly reduce Overall Inflammation which is crucial in helping to Prevent Autoimmune Diseases such as Periodontal disease, Chron’s disease, IBS, Lupus, etc.
Here are some lifestyle changes that may impact your overall health by decreasing inflammation:
- Maintain a well-balanced diet. Eating foods with antioxidants.
- Vitamin E: vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables
- vitamin C: citrus fruits, broccoli
- Stop smoking or Vaping. Tobacco use is a significant risk factor for the development of periodontitis and increasing Overall Systemic Inflammation.
- Eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, the kinds found in fatty fish (herring, salmon, sardines, trout, tuna,) fish oil, and flaxseed.
- Avoid eating processed foods.
- Stop eating foods high in simple sugars, such as fructose.
- Also, avoid drinking soda or energy drinks.
- Take probiotics with multiple strains of beneficial bacteria.
- Take Vitamin C and D daily.
- Eliminate foods that you may be sensitive to. This potentially creates inflammation in your gut, such as dairy or gluten-containing.
- Exercise regularly. It’s a natural anti-inflammatory.
- Practice deep relaxation. Things like yoga, deep breathing, biofeedback, or massage, because stress worsens the immune response.
- Sleep at least 7-8 hours each night
We’re so excited to be healthier this year. While being healthy is no easy task, we believe you can do it with some teamwork and accountability! You can follow along with tips, promotions, and other goodies on the NFD Wellness Blog. You can also tune in on Facebook and Instagram, so you’ll have these things delivered right to your feed!
As you get ready for the new year, we’re here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out! Also, don’t forget to believe in yourself! Of course, long-lasting changes come from grace and hard work.
The information on this page was written by Dr. Kimberly Polley.
This gentle Lincoln, NE dentists says: “I believe that everyone is entitled to a healthy life. I am happy to work with my patients’ concerns and help them overcome their fears. Consequently, once they overcome their fears, they can routinely receive the dental care that they need, resulting in a healthy, beautiful smile.”
You can schedule with this Lincoln, NE dentist, or her partners, online 24/7 at her North Lincoln Location of Nebraska Family Dentistry. This “dentist near me” serves the local communities close to Northstar Dental in Waverly, Davey, Raymond, Garland, Ceresco, Greenwood, and Malcom.
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We have 7 Locations in Lincoln, NE!
- Lincoln Family Dentistry – Central Lincoln
- South Lincoln Family Dentistry – South Lincoln
- Northeast Lincoln Family Dentistry – Northeast Lincoln
- Preserve Family Dentistry – East Lincoln
- Coddington Dental – West Lincoln
- NorthStar Dental – North Lincoln
- SouthPointe Dental – Southwest Lincoln
- Emergency Dentist NE – Emergency Dental Care
Nebraska Family Dentistry has multiple Lincoln Dental Clinics!
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