Professional Dentist showing jaw and teeth the x-ray photograph and discussing during explaining the consultation treatment issues with patient and writing history list on report.
Regarding dental and oral health, many people assume it’s only about your teeth. After all, your dentist and your parents constantly remind you to take good care of your teeth while you’re a kid to achieve a whiter set of teeth, fresher breath, and prettier smile. Furthermore, proper dental care and maintenance will reduce your risk of contracting oral health issues, like cavities, tooth decay, etc. But are you aware that dental health isn’t only about protecting your smile?
Your dental health is directly linked to your overall health. As you can see, your mouth is the direct access to the rest of your body. When you don’t follow proper dental hygiene, you’re allowing bacteria and cavities to linger into your teeth and gums, eventually making it easier for them to enter your bloodstream. As a result, these bacteria will affect your overall health by causing illnesses and infections.
Ultimately, following good oral hygiene will reduce your risk of experiencing dental health problems. On the other hand, neglecting your oral health will have various adverse effects on your general health. To further understand, here are eight ways poor dental health can harm your overall health.
- Gum Disease
This may seem obvious, but your gums are closely related to your teeth. When you don’t practice proper dental hygiene, you’re allowing cavities and plaque to build up. Over time, plaque will accumulate along and under your gums and eventually cause infections. As a result, you could suffer from severe gum problems, popularly known as periodontal disease, which can lead to bone deterioration. When left untreated, this infection can spread over to your bones and jaw and cause an inflammatory response in your body.
Thus, you must consult your dentist immediately if you see plaque and cavities in your teeth. You may check out the website of various dental clinics, like Grovecitydentalofblackfoot.com or other dental services within your area and book an appointment. This way, they can perform teeth cleaning to get rid of the plaque that may not be removed through brushing alone. They can also provide treatment options in case they detect any potential dental issue.
- Heart Diseases And Stroke
The effects of poor dental health on your overall health don’t end after you’ve suffered from severe gum disease. If things escalate, the bacteria and plaque accumulated in your gums can easily enter your bloodstream through the gums, putting you at higher risk of developing heart diseases or suffering from a stroke. This is due to the possibility of heart blockages and constricted arteries caused by plaque and bacteria, a condition known as atherosclerosis. If this goes on long enough, the person may suffer from a stroke or a heart attack.
Furthermore, another heart disease associated with poor dental health is Endocarditis. This infection can occur when the bacteria or germs from your gums travel through your bloodstream and cling to the inner lining of your heart valves (endocardium). As a result, your endocardium will become inflamed and infected. The best way to prevent all these risks is by simply looking after your dental health.
- Kidney Disease
Poor dental health can also cause kidney disease. People with gum disease brought about by poor dental hygiene are more likely to have weaker immune systems. This means they’re also susceptible to infection, and kidney disease is one of them. Furthermore, if your kidney disease becomes chronic, it’ll affect the rest of your body and can even be deadly if it turns into a total kidney failure.
- Diabetes
A man with toothache, periodontal disease in wisdom teeth, painful area highlighted in red
Besides kidney disease, people with poor oral health are also more likely to develop diabetes. That’s because once you have gum disease, specifically periodontal disease, your blood sugar will be much harder to control, worsening your diabetes. Moreover, people with diabetes may also suffer from gum diseases or infections.
If you’ve noticed, doctors will check their patients’ mouths as part of their diagnosis because their mouth or gums can signal that something’s off with their body. In this case, if a person frequently suffers from gum diseases or other severe dental problems, they may be suspected and diagnosed with diabetes.
- Pneumonia
Aside from your heart or cardiovascular system, germs and bacteria from your mouth can also travel toward your lungs through normal breathing. Once they get to your lungs, they can aggravate your respiratory system. Germs invading your lungs may risk developing lung infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or other respiratory problems.
Furthermore, since older people have weaker immune systems, it’ll be more challenging for their bodies to fight off the infections in their lungs. That’s why doctors often advise their aging patients to look after their dental health to maintain their overall health.
- Pregnancy Complications
Proper dental hygiene is essential, but even more so for pregnant women. Pregnant women are bound to experience various hormonal changes, making you more susceptible to oral infections, such as gum disease. Furthermore, if you don’t brush or floss your teeth regularly, you’ll even be at higher risk of developing periodontitis, which can lead to low birth weight or premature birth. Thus, to ensure you and your baby can avoid serious health issues, pregnant mothers should practice proper dental hygiene throughout their pregnancy.
- Arthritis
People with gum disease (e.g., gingivitis, periodontitis) are more likely to suffer from arthritis. That’s because the germs and bacteria from your gum disease can increase your body’s inflammation, worsening your risk of rheumatoid arthritis. So, if you’re experiencing a specific type of gum disease, seek medical help from your dentist immediately before it causes more consequences for the rest of your body.
- Infertility
As mentioned in the previous points, a simple gum disease caused by poor dental health can cause various health problems. To add to the list is infertility. If one suffers from certain gum disease, one may experience issues with fertility, making it more challenging to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
Simple Oral Health Care Tips
As you see, poor dental health isn’t something that you should overlook. Otherwise, neglecting your dental health can put you at risk of any of these mentioned health problems, jeopardizing your overall health. To avoid poor dental health, here are a few simple oral health care tips to remember to reduce your risk of having dental issues and other serious health problems.
- Brush twice daily, preferably after breakfast and before bedtime.
- Floss your teeth every day and ensure to handle your gums gently during flossing.
- Limit your consumption of sugary foods and beverages and focus your diet on healthy foods.
- Avoid smoking and other tobacco products.
- Confer to your dentist once or twice a year and schedule teeth cleanings to avoid plaque buildup.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, your dental health is directly linked to your overall health. The best way to reduce your risk of the health problems mentioned above is to maintain proper dental hygiene and pay extra care and attention to your teeth and gums. Most importantly, remember that your best partner for achieving good dental health is your trusted dentist, so consult them regularly as much as possible.
