Even though not all people take good care of their teeth; probably more of them would become more active if they knew what sorts of problems bad teeth can produce. It’s not all about good looks and making an excellent first impression. Although that’s quite important as well and something you shouldn’t neglect – but about the overall health status of your entire body. From heart and liver to lungs and muscles, all parts of your body are affected by poor oral hygiene. Here are just a few issues caused by poor oral hygiene concerning heart problems and diabetes.
Why is Oral Hygiene Important?
What many people don’t understand is that your mouth is the first thing that the food comes in contact with; and the frontier you should defend endlessly. It’s the gateway to your body and, if you don’t protect your mouth well; all sorts of things can go wrong. What makes things even more challenging is the fact that your teeth and gums are often quite prone to infections and can rot quite easily without you even noticing it.
As the food has a nasty tendency to get stuck between your teeth after every single meal; gums can get infected in a blink of an eye. If and when that happens, they become inflamed and that’s when various types of gum diseases, such as gingivitis and periodontitis, start occurring. But, that’s not all – gum inflammation makes other parts of your body more vulnerable and prone to all sorts of diseases; which mostly affects your heart and can cause diabetes.
Heart Diseases
The heart is the single most important organ of your body, and once its functions start deteriorating; everything else slowly begins failing. More and more people die from heart diseases every single year, and every third person that passed away in the USA in 2013 suffered from cardiovascular problems. Gum diseases and oral hygiene issues make this statistic even more problematic and affect your heart in the ways you can’t even imagine.
What can you do to prevent gum diseases from ruining your heart? The next time you visit your general practitioner or, even better, your cardiologist, be sure to mention any teeth-related issues you may have. Just a few damaged teeth can make a difference between life and death, and this also applies to your family’s medical history – talk to your parents or siblings and find out if you’re particularly prone to both heart and gum diseases.
Diabetes
Although diabetes is often connected with being overweight or not eating properly, not everyone thinks about it concerning oral hygiene. But, once you scratch the surface, there’s a lot to be found, points out a dentist from Bondi Junction. For example, diabetes affects your blood flow and consequently, your gums; making them weaker and more susceptible to diseases and inflammation. Therefore, patients suffering from diabetes should keep this in mind the next time they visit their dentist.
Moreover, people who have diabetes usually have missing teeth and larger gaps; either between two teeth or between teeth and gums. That’s why an observant dentist could identify a diabetes patient even if they don’t know it yet; which is the first step towards treatment and recovery.
Other Issues
Unfortunately, heart diseases and problems with diabetes aren’t the only concerns you should have if you’re struggling with oral hygiene. Some of the other things you need to pay close attention to are knee and rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory conditions such as pneumonia and emphysema, as well as pregnancy issues – as teeth infections can trigger preterm labor, so extreme care and proper oral hygiene is recommended for all pregnant women.
What’re Your Thoughts?
Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls interested in topics related to health and alternative medicine. In her free time she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family.
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