It may come as a surprise, but your oral health directly affects your overall health. Here, we’ll explain the connection between the health of your mouth and your body and some common medical conditions caused by poor oral health.
What’s the Connection Between Your Oral Health & Your Overall Health?
Your mouth acts as a window to the rest of your body. Since it is the first entry point, it is also the first defense for your overall health, so it’s vital to take care of your mouth. When your oral health is bad, the rest of your body suffers too. For example, if your oral health is bad, the bad bacteria in your mouth can lead to serious dental health issues that can then create medical problems that can be very serious. To protect your body, you need to protect your mouth.
What Are Some Common Medical Conditions Caused by Poor Oral Health?
Perhaps the most dangerous medical condition caused by poor oral health is cardiovascular disease. When you aren’t careful with your dental health by brushing and flossing regularly, your gums can become inflamed. This inflammation can then move from your mouth into your bloodstream and then travel to the arteries of your heart. Then your arteries can actually harden from the inflammation in a process called atherosclerosis. This can then lead to plaque developing on the arteries, decreasing and blocking blood flow through the body. All of this can lead to an increased risk of stroke or heart attack.
There are a great number of other serious medical conditions that are caused by poor oral health. Respiratory issues like infection in the lungs and pneumonia can be caused by simply breathing in bacteria from teeth and gums that are infected by gingivitis. Additionally, Alzheimer’s can develop if bacteria from gum disease enters the brain through the nerve channels in the bloodstream or head. Inflamed gums can also make it more difficult for diabetics to control blood sugar levels and often causes worsening of their symptoms.
What Can You Do to Avoid These Common Medical Conditions Caused by Poor Oral Health?
It’s so important for you and your body to maintain good oral health. One of the best ways to do this is by practicing dental health habits every single day at home. This means brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for two minutes each time and flossing at least once a day. Coming in for regular checkups and cleanings is also vital for your oral health. You should also maintain a diet high in vitamins and minerals and fiber and low in sugars and carbohydrates in order to keep your mouth and your body healthy. If you have other questions about medical conditions caused by poor oral health, give us a call!
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