The mouth is an entryway into the entire body system and oral health extends way beyond the mouth and teeth. Poor oral health not only creates a bad impression but also impacts the entire body health greatly. Some indicators of poor oral hygiene are aching teeth, bleeding gums and bad breath. This leads to infections and inflammation as the mouth bacteria can make way into the bloodstream too.
It is important to focus on maintaining good oral health in order to prevent health concerns such as:
Deterioration in heart health: The possibility of a heart disease is one of the major implications of bad dental hygiene. This happens if the bacteria from inflamed gums gets into the bloodstream and causes plaque buildup in the arteries that may harden. The hardening leads to atherosclerosis that is a serious disease that is associated with heat blockage and problems with blood flow. It also increases the risk of stroke and hypertension.
Dementia: The impact of oral health on the brain is lesser known but is quite serious. Memory loss and the death of brain cells stem out substances released by inflamed gums. Gingivitis may lead to dementia or Alzheimer's if the bacteria enter the bloodstream.
Infections in the respiratory system: Poor oral health can cause the respiratory system to suffer greatly. If the bacteria from infected teeth or swollen gums get into the lungs it may lead to infections of the respiratory system, pneumonia, bronchitis etc.
Diabetes: While diabetes already makes the patients susceptible to infections, the symptoms may become graver and take the sugar levels really high. Patients with high sugar levels must be careful with oral health to prevent further complications. Patients with low immunity but no diabetes may also catch the disease as gum diseases take up the sugar levels.
Complications in Pregnancy:Hormonal changes during pregnancy may increase the possibility of oral infections. These may lead to premature delivery or low birth weight too. The new mother and the unborn are thus at a high risk of serious health issues.
Infertility: While this may sound unheard, there is a major relation between oral health and infertility. Oral health concerns make it difficult to conceive and to carry on with a healthy pregnancy.
Erectile Dysfunction: If the bacteria from periodontal disease travels in the bloodstream, it may reach the genitals and cause the flow of blood to stop due to inflammation. This leads to difficulties or incapability in achieving an erection.
Cancer: Most of us know that oral health abuse with smoking and using tobacco-based products cause cancer. Other types of cancer may also be caused due to gum inflammations.
Prevention:In light of the multitude of health concerns that oral health issues pose, it is the best to take care of oral hygiene and visit the dentist regularly. Remember to focus more on tooth whitening products that take care of complete oral health than focusing only on the teeth. It is also a good idea to use tooth powders over toothpastes as they do a better job at cleaning. Here are some other simple steps that you can take regularly:
