How the Health of Your Teeth Affects Your Overall Health

Maintaining good dental health is essential for keeping your teeth strong and clean. But of course, no part of your body operates independently, and is essential for keeping your body healthy. The consequences of failing to maintain good dental health go beyond just getting a minor toothache — it can lead to more serious overall health problems, like some of the ones listed below. It can cause complications like immune system disorders or more serious illnesses like cardiovascular disease.

Respiratory infections

For those with gum disease, breathing in bacteria from infected teeth over a period of time can lead to infections in your lungs, which includes contracting illnesses like pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Complications with diabetes

For those suffering from diabetes, having inflamed gum tissue and periodontal disease will make it more difficult to control blood sugar levels. What’s worse is that people with diabetes are more susceptible to contracting periodontal disease than those without, making it especially important for them to ensure that they are taking good care of their oral hygiene.

Cardiovascular disease

Although not immediately obvious, failure to maintain good dental health can cause harmful bacteria to enter the bloodstream due to the inflammation of gums or gum disease. It can travel to the arteries and cause atherosclerosis, which refers to the hardening of the arteries. In turn, this leads to plaque to build up on the inner walls of arteries, decreasing and potentially blocking blood flow throughout the body, increasing the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Statistics have shown that those suffering from gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease than those without.

Dementia

For people with gingivitis, bacteria may potentially enter the brain via nerve channels or the bloodstream. This may eventually lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Pregnancy and birth

Research has linked periodontitis to low birth weight and premature birth, as well as taking longer for women to conceive.

Of course, having gum disease will not mean that these problems will arise. These cases are extreme examples of gum disease that has been left untreated for a long period of time, and are not necessarily caused by poor oral hygiene itself. Regardless, keeping your teeth clean and healthy is essential, if nothing else than for making sure that you have a smile that you can be proud of.