Are you taking care of your teeth and gums?
We all know that taking care of your oral hygiene is good for your teeth and gums. But most people don’t know that it does more than that. Bad dental care can have a huge impact on your whole body, in ways you might not imagine.
Read on for these 10 diseases caused by poor oral health.
1. Diabetes
You might not think it but diabetes and oral health have a link. Adults and children who have diabetes have a higher risk of infection. Infections that can lead to periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease can also make diabetes harder to manage. The symptoms can get worse with blood sugar spikes. If you get gum disease, it can send symptoms through the roof.
If you’re a diabetes sufferer, you must keep good oral hygiene practices. You want to avoid any complications to your disease where you can. Gum disease can raise blood sugar, so poor oral hygiene can put you at more risk of developing diabetes too.
2. Heart Disease
Another shock link is between oral health and heart disease. Bad oral hygiene leads to bad oral health. In turn, this puts you at greater risk of developing heart disease, if you can believe it.
The bacteria behind gum (periodontal) disease can get into your bloodstream. Once in, they’ll cause plaque to build up in your arteries.
Over time, the plaque then starts to harden leading to atherosclerosis. This is a dangerous condition causing restricted blood flow, and blockages. This then puts you at a greater risk of having a heart attack.
The damage caused to blood vessels and arteries can also cause hypertension. Hypertension (high blood pressure) increases your chance of suffering from a stroke.
In rarer cases, this can cause a life-threatening condition called endocarditis. It the lining of your heart from germs and bacteria getting in from other areas of the body. It causes inflammation of the heart valves and chambers. In some cases, this condition can be fatal.
3. Respiratory Infection
Your mouth is full of bacteria, but some things can increase the amount of it. Swollen gums and tooth infections, for example. And this bacteria isn’t only dangerous for your heart.
As it can travel through your bloodstream to your heart, it can also travel into your lungs. Once there, it can cause respiratory infections like pneumonia and bronchitis.
There have also been links made between oral health and COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an inflammatory disease of the lungs. It causes difficulty breathing and obstructs airflow.
4. Female Infertility
Medical News Today suggests a connection between bad oral health and female infertility. It’s alleged that gum disease is the issue and it can make it harder for women to conceive a baby.
It also makes it harder for them to have a healthy pregnancy, but more on that in the next section. It found that compared with women with good oral health, those who didn’t take longer to get pregnant.
5. Complications During Pregnancy
When a woman is pregnant, the hormone levels change in her body. One result of these changes is it’s easier for oral infections to take root. Pregnant women must take extra good care of their oral hygiene.
Any infections a pregnant woman picks up can cause pregnancy complications. Studies show that issues like gingivitis and gum disease cause low-weight babies. There is also a risk of premature labor.
Another reason is that a growing baby will take its nutrients from the mother. If you don’t take care and provide enough, it can cause further issues for your teeth. They lose calcium and it can lead to severe tooth loss.
6. Cancer
There is a strong link between oral health and overall health. Smoking and using tobacco products will damage your teeth and can cause gum disease. It can also lead to throat and oral cancers.
Periodontal disease also has links to other types of cancer too. These cancers include pancreatic, kidney, and blood cancer. It’s not worth skipping the little effort it takes to maintain great oral health. You never know what’s around the corner.
7. Dementia
Why is oral health important? Well, it can impact your brain health. Bacteria from oral infections kill brain cells and can induce a loss of memory.
When the bacteria are in the bloodstream or reach nerve channels, it can cause dementia. It may even trigger Alzheimer’s disease too.
8. Kidney Disease
Studies show there is a strong correlation between periodontal disease and kidney disease. Suffers of chronic kidney disease will tell you that it affects more than the kidneys. It causes issues with the bones, heart, and blood pressure too.
There are life-threatening complications from kidney disease. Your risk of heart conditions goes up, and there is the chance that your kidneys will fail altogether.
The minor infection due to poor oral hygiene has huge implications. With lower immune systems, it can cause chronic inflammation. This leads to pain and difficulty eating, and its important kidney disease suffers get high protein foods.
9. Erectile Dysfunction
Bad oral health can increase a man’s chance of erectile dysfunction. This when a man cannot get or keep an erection firm or long enough for intercourse.
Chronic periodontal disease is serious. This infection pulls the gums away from the teeth, exposing pockets for bacteria to pool in and grow.
This bacteria, as we know, gets into the bloodstream and inflames the blood vessels. The inflammation of these vessels disrupts blood flow, including to the genitals. It can make it difficult to get an erection, or even impossible.
10. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Studies by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society show gum disease plays a part. Those with gum disease are 4 times more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis. This could be due to the fact both diseases cause inflammation.
Bacteria caused by gum disease can flare up inflammation all around the body. This, in turn, increases the risk of developing other inflammatory conditions. Including rheumatoid arthritis.
Reasons Why Oral Health is So Important Made Easy
So, there you have it! Now you know what bad oral health can trigger, it’s important to look after your teeth and gums.
If you already suffer from any of the above, it’s not worth the risk of making your symptoms worse. If you’re healthy, you could put that in danger.
If you want to keep your oral health in top condition, check out our Dental and Health Care blog today. Whether you need cleaning tips, warning signs, or more, we have you covered.
