When was the last time you went for a dental check-up? If you are unable to recall it, you are taking your dental health for granted, my friend. You’re probably doing so because you think dental health cannot have any serious consequences or simply that it doesn’t affect your overall health.
But here is a truth bomb alert. Your dental health can impact your overall health. Surprised? You will be even more surprised to find that dental health is also associated with pneumonia, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and even heart disease.
Let’s understand how. But first, you may want to know about periodontitis, which is the root to most of these diseases.
Also called gum disease, Periodontitis is a severe gum infection that can damage the soft tissue around teeth. If left untreated, it can destroy the bone supporting your teeth, which may lead to loss of teeth.
The connection between dental health and diabetes
It has been observed that there exists a two-sided relationship between dental health and diabetes. This means that periodontitis can affect blood glucose regulation in the body and the patients suffering from diabetes are more prone to bacterial infections, which may cause gum disease.
It must be noted that diabetic patients tend to have a weaker immune system, which affects the healing capacity of the body. This means, there is an increased breakdown of periodontal tissues, which can further cause problems. In addition to this, it is very likely for patients suffering from periodontitis to have high levels of HbA1C.
The connection between dental health and pneumonia
As per studies, a link between pneumonia and dental health has been established. It is claimed that cavities may develop pneumonia. The theory backing this claim is that the bacteria from the mouth can travel to the upper respiratory tract to reach the lungs, which may cause pneumonia as it is easier for the bacteria to stick to the lungs.
The connection between dental health and osteoporosis
Your dental health may not cause osteoporosis but osteoporosis can certainly affect your dental health. Osteoporosis causes a loss in bone density, making you more prone to breaks and bone fractures. Turns out, this loss of bone density can impact oral health
With the loss of bone density, bacteria can easily penetrate, causing gum disease. Not to mention, studies also reveal that osteoporosis can also cause tooth decay and oral cavity.
The connection between dental health and heart disease
This may come as a surprise but some theories weave a link between dental health and cardiovascular issues. Having poor dental health may lead to coronary artery disease, clogged arteries and stroke.
Various research indicates that people suffering from periodontal disease may have higher chances of atherosclerosis, which is the build-up of cholesterol and fats on the walls of the arteries. This build-up may cause heart failure and heart attacks. The hypothesis is that the bacteria present in infected gum tissue can enter the bloodstream and travel to the circulatory system, causing inflammation plaque.
Even though there is a link between periodontitis disease and cardiovascular disease, there is no concrete evidence that establishes that periodontitis causes heart disease. More research is needed.
What can you do to protect your overall health?
Although direct links haven’t been established, we require more research to say that poor dental health causes these health issues. The research that we have is inconclusive. There have also been instances where one research contradicts the other. Nevertheless, it’s best to be on the safe side and do our bit to maintain good dental hygiene.
For that to happen, you must make adjustments to your lifestyle. Just as you swear by a skincare routine to get flawless and radiant skin, you must also practice good dental hygiene to ensure you stay clear of dental issues and other bodily diseases. These are a few tips that can help
- Say NO to smoking and tobacco
- Brush your teeth twice, for 2 minutes at least.
- Floss daily.
- Use mouthwash after eating
- Limit sugary food and drinks and consume a healthy diet
- Replace your toothbrush every 2-3 months.
- Go for regular dental checkups
Closing thoughts
Practising good dental hygiene is not only essential for your dental health and overall health. Don’t wait till both of them become worse. Prevention is better than cure, remember? So, start today. Make dental health a priority.
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