Why Iron is Important for Your Oral Health According to Dentists

Iron is important for your oral health because it is central to hemoglobin, the oxygen-binding molecule in your red blood cells.

Iron deficiency can lead to anemia – a condition that occurs when your body is unable to produce a sufficient amount of red blood cells. Because red blood cells carry oxygen with them throughout your bloodstream, a lack of them can keep the body from getting sufficient oxygen.

This leads to a variety of oral conditions such as soreness in the tongue, lack of color in gums, and many other problems that can impact your overall oral health and energy levels.

How Insufficient Iron Impacts Oral Health

• Anemia reduces the number of red blood cells which can lead to paleness in the gums. This is a condition recognized by dentists as anemia gums. You can tell that you have an iron deficiency if your healthy pink gums begin to fade or change shade from their normal color.

The paleness in your gums can also affect your tongue color and the mucous membranes in the mouth as well as the lining of your eyes, and your palms. These are very important symptoms of iron deficiency and anemia. Other oral conditions include:

• Redness of the tongue
• Swollen tongue
• Painful tongue

Deficiency Can Lead To Serious Illness

• No matter what the symptoms of anemia, it is very important for you to visit a dentist to evaluate any changes in your gum and tongue color. These changes can reveal several systematic problems in the mouth and can lead to serious illness if ignored. Indeed, iron is important for your oral health.

Dentists especially recommend having your teeth checked for anemia gums because it can lead to conditions such as bone marrow problems or leukemia.

• If you suffer from anemia, let one of our dentists at Celebrity Smiles & General Dentistry know. We will prescribe special antimicrobial rinses to help prevent periodontal diseases. We may even prescribe antibiotic medicine to cut down your risk of related infections.

This is especially important if you recently went through an oral surgery to prevent excessive bleeding. Your dentist should be able to recommend changes in treatment and the tools they need to prevent problems. Patients who suffer from extreme anemia might be in need of more oxygen depending on the treatment.

What Is The Treatment for Anemia

• To be able to find the right treatment for the condition, it is important to know what kind of anemia you have. But the end result is always a lack of red blood cells and oxygen delivery to your body.

The treatment vary based on the type of anemia you have. For instance, if you suffer from pernicious anemia which is typically caused by the lack of Vitamin B12, you may be required to take B12 in supplementation form.

• However, the most common form of anemia is iron-deficiency anemia. This occurs when the body is unable to process the iron that keeps you up all day. Recommended treatment includes taking iron supplements as well as making healthy diet changes to include foods that are rich in iron such as dark green vegetables and red meat.

Interested to learn more about why iron is important for your oral health? Contact Celebrity Smiles & General Dentistry in Westmont today for preventative dentistry and prevent any underlying dental conditions from becoming worse.