Healthy Teeth Equals Healthy Body
Having healthy teeth is a reason for a great smile. But more than that, it tells you that your body is healthy as well. A healthy mouth and a healthy body go together. Hence, if there’s a reason that something is wrong in the body, it may very well be linked to poor oral health.
Gum Disease
Periodontitis can affect the whole body, though it clinically manifest only in the mouth. There are several serious diseases which are caused by gum diseases, such as, stroke, diabetes, heart attack, osteoporosis, respiratory diseases, digestive disorders, and low preterm birth. Untreated gum diseases can also affect your immune system. With this variant of disorders, untreated periodontal disease can reduce life-expectancy.
There have been studies linking chronic gum disease with heart issues. Cardiovascular diseases that include heart diseases, strokes and blood vessel blockages are some of the common issues associated with poor oral health. Remember that healthy teeth lower the risk of heart diseases. Your dentist will stress the need for regular dental checkups due to the link between oral health and cardiovascular health.
If you have diabetes, you’re already at increased risk of developing gum disease. But chronic gum disease may, in fact, make diabetes more difficult to control. Infection may cause insulin resistance, which disrupts blood sugar control.
If you have a healthy immune system, the presence of oral bacteria in your bloodstream causes no problem, as your immune system quickly dispenses with them, preventing infection. However, if your immune system is weakened, maybe due to a disease or cancer treatment, oral bacteria in your bloodstream may cause the development of an infection in another part of your body.
Severe gum disease may increase the risk of preterm delivery and giving birth to a low birth weight baby. Oral bacteria tend to release toxins, which reach the placenta through the mother’s bloodstream and interfere with the growth and development of the fetus. At the same time, the oral infection causes the mother to produce labor-triggering substances too quickly, potentially triggering premature labor and birth.
With proper oral hygiene, a balanced and healthy diet, and regular dental visits are some key measures that can reduce the risk of gum damage resulting to infection in the body.
Watching Your Oral Health in Bellevue
Your Bellevue dentist says that good oral health is a mirror to your overall health. When you think you should have a checkup, visit Overlake Dental.
