Interview with Canadian Dentist Dr. Sahar Rakhshanfar: The Connection Between Oral Health and Overall Wellness
Dr. Sahar Rakhshanfar is a dentist at Viva Dental in Orangeville, Ontario. We spoke with her to learn more about the connection between oral health and overall wellness. A passionate advocate for preventive care, Dr. Rakhshanfar had some great insights about the critical role oral health plays in overall wellness and offered tips on things people can do to improve their oral health.
___________________________
Q: Thank you for being with us today. There has been a growing awareness of the link between oral health and overall health. How do you feel about this development?
DR. SAHAR RAKHSHANFAR: It’s overdue. For years, oral health was too often limited to cosmetic or immediate concerns, whether you had a cavity, signs of gum disease, that sort of thing. But now we’re discovering oral health is much more than having a pretty smile. It’sdirectly related to systemic health issues, from heart disease to diabetes to even mental health. As we learn more about this connection, we’re beginning to understand how well the mouth reflects the state of the body as a whole.
Q: Can you expand on how oral health influences diseases like heart disease and diabetes?
DR. SAHAR RAKHSHANFAR: One of the most studied connections concerns gum disease and heart disease. Bacteria from infected gums can enter the bloodstream and induce inflammation, a major contributor to heart disease. Studies show the risk of heart disease is much higher among people suffering from gum disease. And for diabetes, the mouth of the individual can be a complicating factor in controlling blood glucose levels. What’s even worse is that inflammation from gum disease may actually make it harder for your body to manage insulin, worsening diabetes symptoms. This is why dental check-ups are especially important for people with these conditions.
Q: Outside of the physical effects, oral health is associated with mental health as well. How do you connect these two?
DR. SAHAR RAKHSHANFAR: Yes, this connection is often forgotten. Oral health is closely linked to mental health. These self-conscious feelings can lead to lower self-esteem, social anxiety, or hesitation to smile or engage with the world at large – something we can work on fixing! This, in turn, can lead to stress, depression, and other mental health challenges. I have witnessed firsthand the impact of addressing someone’s dental health on their mental health through how they feel more confident and healthy.
Q: That’s a powerful point. With this increased awareness of the oral-systemic health connection, what changes need to happen in healthcare to improve patient care?
DR. SAHAR RAKHSHANFAR: The first change we need is improved collaboration among healthcare providers. Dentists and medical doctors must collaborate more closely to address all parts of a patient’s health. For instance, physicians should screen for oral health issues during physical exams, and dentists should know their patients’ chronic conditions. We need to have a better education system. A lot of people are oblivious to how oral health affects their overall wellness. If we can get people to take better care of their mouths, we could see big improvements in their general health over the long term.
Q: How do you help your patients understand the links between oral health and overall wellness in your own practice?
DR. SAHAR RAKHSHANFAR: Education, of course. We take the time to explain to our patients how oral health may affect the rest of their health. For instance, if someone has high blood pressure, we may discuss how gum disease can increase that condition. We also focus on preventative care, regular cleanings, flossing and at-home care because when people are proactive about their oral health, they can prevent many issues that lead to more significant health problems. It’s all about supporting patients to be more holistic about their wellness.