Are your gums too sensitive, swollen, and bleed after brushing? Do you have open cavities you haven’t treated? These are all signs of declining dental health and are a direct result of poor dental hygiene.
No matter how many times we hear flossing is required for healthy teeth, we don’t do it until it’s too late. Suddenly, we’re in for a surgical procedure, and that’s more stressful than a few regular dental checkups throughout the year.
Our teeth and gums are essential organs that must be healthy in order to chew the food properly. But did you know your oral health is in direct correlation to your overall health?
Keep reading to see why neglecting your teeth and gums can lead to a variety of overall health problems and how you can prevent them.
Gum Disease
If your gums bleed during every brushing, you have a problem. The most common reason for overly-sensitive bleeding gums is gum disease caused by poor oral hygiene. If left untreated, it can turn gingivitis and chronic periodontitis.
To prevent gum disease, floss your teeth every day, however many times is needed. This will remove food particles stuck between the teeth and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
If you notice receding gums, many dental offices like Forest Park Dental offer a gum reversal or grafting surgical procedure.
Tooth Loss
Teeth health is more than having sparkling white teeth. You need to have strong and healthy enamel first, and then worry about the aesthetics. Unfortunately, many people realize the importance of oral hygiene when they start losing teeth.
Eating too much sugary or acidic foods can damage the teeth from the inside out. Once you start developing cavities and leave them untreated, they can easily infect the entire mouth and damage your healthy teeth. The same goes for gum disease, which is why you should take oral hygiene seriously.
This means flossing every day, brushing your teeth twice a day, avoiding unhealthy foods, and taking it easy on the smoking.
Diabetes
If you’re wondering how diabetes is linked to oral health problems, the answer is – inflammation. When your gums start to bleed or you develop periodontitis, the inflammation makes it hard to control your blood sugar and keep them at an optimal level.
This is how your body develops insulin resistance which then leads to diabetes. Periodontitis also leads to tooth loss and a host of other health problems.
Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia
If you have gingivitis or periodontitis, the bacteria can reach your brain and damage the nerves. This has been linked to dementia and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease as a result of inflammation.
In fact, a recent health review on the subject showed that many elderly people with dementia showed signs of poor dental hygiene and many of them had bleeding gums, periodontal pockets, and plaque.
Endocarditis and Other Heart Problems
Endocarditis is a condition that affects the inner lining of the heart called endocardium. There are many causes, but one of them is inflammation as a result of poor oral health and more specifically periodontitis.
The risk in people with existing heart problems is higher, but even if you have a healthy heart, don’t wait for your dental health to start declining. Schedule regular check-ups and take great care of your teeth on a daily basis.
Also, making healthier food choices will help your teeth become stronger and less prone to damage and cavities. The same goes for your heart – the healthier you eat, the healthier it’ll be.
Your mouth is full of bacteria, most of which is good for you. When food particles get stuck between your teeth or in cavities, you enable harmful bacteria to breed. This leads to infections, inflammation, and periodontitis.
The bacteria and inflammation can easily travel through your body and reach the heart. Aside from endocarditis, they may also lead to clogged arteries, inflammation of the heart tissue, and heart disease. Great oral health is the foundation for a clean and healthy mouth cavity free of infections.
Breathing Problems
If you’ve never wondered why is dental care important, don’t wait until you’ve developed respiratory issues. If you have cavities or bleeding gums, you’re dealing with inflammation or bacterial infection.
These can easily spread throughout the body through your blood and infect other organs like your throat, sinuses, and lungs. If you’re a smoker, it may be time to consider quitting in order to clear up the lungs and the mouth cavity from all the nicotine and smoke.
Stomach Ulcers
People with periodontitis have receding gums and plaque buildup, both of which are a breeding ground for bacteria like Helicobacter pylori. If the bacteria flares up and spreads, it can lead to a variety of health problems, including stomach ulcers.
Your saliva can only do so much to wash out the food particles, but it can’t reach the narrow spaces between the teeth. This is why using a quality toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss are the foundation of a healthy mouth and body.
Erectile Dysfunction
Patients with periodontitis may be more likely to develop erectile dysfunction. This is again due to inflammation on a cellular level that can easily spread through the bloodstream and reach other organs.
Inflamed or clogged blood vessels can stop the blood flow to the genitals, which leads to erectile dysfunction. The human body is one incredible machine where everything is connected. This is why great dental hygiene isn’t just a factor in flirting – it’s also essential to your genital health.
Poor Dental Hygiene Can Be Detrimental To Your Health!
Having a mouth full of pearly whites is not something everyone is blessed with, so taking care of your teeth is essential to your oral health. Poor dental hygiene can lead to an array of health problems including tooth loss, periodontitis, breathing problems, dementia, and diabetes.
Inflammation travels fast through the body and can attach itself to other organs, causing even more damage. To prevent this, make your dental health a priority day in and day out.
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If you have any questions or comments or would like to get in touch, feel free to contact us.