“The terms oral health and general health should not be interpreted as separate entities. Oral health is integral to general health: Oral health means more than healthy teeth and you cannot be healthy without oral health."
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~ Donna E. Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Resources
From “Oral Health in America: A report of the Surgeon General, 2000
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| "Health, welfare, and even life itself, of persons who have heart conditions which predispose to infection may depend upon the prevention and control of dental disease." |
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~ Dr. C. C. Bass, Dean
Tulane University School of Medicine
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"Focal (periodontal) infection affects all our systems. For example:”
• The nervous system ... causing neuritis.
• The cardiovascular system ... leading to endocarditis, myocarditis, and periocarditis.
• The respiratory system ... contributing to everything from sinusitis to lung abscesses."
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~ Dr. Samuel Charles Miller
NYU School of Dentistry
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| "It is not uncommon to see oral hygiene, which obviously contributes to system (total body) welfare, being totally ignored in a patient who has severe systemic disease." |
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~ Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA)
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| "In a mild case of gum disease, if laid out flat, the total ulcerative (infected) area would cover a postcard. From this rather large area, bacteria and toxins enter the bloodstream whenever food is chewed. This transient bacteremia can affect the total health of the individual." |
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~ Dr. Lester Burke
Dean, University of Pennsylvania Dental School
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| "There is not one thing in preventive medicine as important as oral hygiene and the preservation of the teeth." |
~ Sir William Osler
Pioneer Medical Diagnostician
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