Seeing This Doctor Regularly Can Help Prevent Pneumonia

Stinky breath and yellow teeth should be the least of your worries if you’re not seeing your dentist twice a year for your teeth cleanings. New research shows that keeping up with your regular dental visits not only keeps your teeth and gums healthy, but it may also decrease your risk of pneumonia—a disease that kills nearly 50,000 Americans each year.In a new study presented at IDWeek 2016, an annual scientific conference on infectious diseases, researchers examined data from the 2013 Medical Expediture Panel Survey, which asked patients about dental care, costs, and overall dental satisfaction. The results showed that while only about 1.7 percent of participants had bacterial pneumonia, those who never had a dental exam faced an 86 percent increased risk of pneumonia compared to those who saw their dentist for their twice a year checkups. “There is a well-documented connection between oral health and pneumonia, and dental visits are important in maintaining good oral health,” said Michelle Doll, MD, lead author of the study and assistant professor of internal medicine in the Division of Infectious Disease at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond. “We can never rid the mouth of bacteria altogether, but good oral hygiene can limit the quantities of bacteria present.” The mouth is filled with bacteria, both good and bad, but brushing your teeth regularly, flossing, and seeing your dentist twice a year will help keep the bacteria—including those that cause pneumonia, which is most commonly streptococcus, haemophilus, staphylococcus, and anaerobic bacteria—from being accidentally inhaled or aspirated into the lungs, which is how microbes cause disease. This isn’t the first health benefit linked to good oral hygiene. Earlier findings suggest that if you take proper care of your teeth and gums, your chances of heart disease dramatically decrease. Poor oral hygiene has even been linked to premature birth and low-weight births, so it’s important to stay up to date on your dental care routine. Here are surprising diseases your dentist can detect first.

• Fever

  
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  Upper respiratory infections typically clear up within two to three weeks, but they can develop into pneumonia. If you are experiencing one or more of these pneumonia symptoms, it’s time to consult your doctor.You may develop a low-grade fever with an upper respiratory infections (URI); it’s not common, but also not impossible. If, however, that fever reaches 101 degrees or higher, there's a greater chance that URI has developed into pneumonia. (Related: Could it be a sinus infection? Here are common sinus infection symptoms.)

• Rapid heart rate

  
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  If during your illness you notice your heart beating faster than normal, take a moment to check your heart rate. Anything over 100 beats per minute is considered a rapid heart rate. If a rapid heart rate persists, seek medical attention.

• Chest pain

  
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  When an URI moves down into the lungs, a tightening of the chest and pain may occur. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs and not just the upper respiratory system. The pain is a signal that the URI has developed into something more serious. (Related: These little habits can boost your immunity all winter long.)

• Wet cough

  
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  A persistent cough is common with a URI. (Related: Find out these natural cough remedies.) Eventually, that cough becomes productive and allows for the body to push out mucus. However, if that cough is consistently wet and rattly, this could mean that the URI has turned into pneumonia. If you have a cough that keeps bringing up mucus and doesn’t bring relief, you may have pneumonia.

• Blood-tinged mucus

  
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  If the mucus being produced by your cough is tinged with blood or has a rusty color, this is a potential sign that the discharge is coming from deep in the lungs, which indicates a lower respiratory infection such as pneumonia. Let your doctor know about this change as it may require a different course of treatment. Here's what else your mucus can say about your health.

• Chills

  
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  Patients with pneumonia often report teeth-chattering chills that cannot be remedied. Chills are a sign of fever and that the body is working overtime to regulate temperature. This is a sign that an upper respiratory infection has developed into pneumonia.

• Difficulty breathing

  
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  If you have been suffering a cold or upper respiratory infection and your breathing becomes shallow or labored, you may have pneumonia. This is a serious symptom that may require a nebulizer breathing treatment in order to open the lungs. Consult your physician immediately to avoid further issues from oxygen deprivation such as lightheadedness, blood flow issues, or losing consciousness.

source : Reader's Digest (http://www.rd.com/)

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