3 Ways gum disease affects your overall health

Do you know that gum disease isn’t just bad news for your teeth only, but it’s also linked to severe health problems in other parts of your body? Not taking good care of your teeth and gums can lead to more than bad breath or a toothache. That’s why maintaining good oral health is an integral part of your overall healthcare. Read on to learn about three ways in which gum diseases will affect the overall health of your whole body.

1. Gum Disease and Cardiovascular Disease

There is a lot of research supporting the association between oral diseases and heart ailments. People who suffer from periodontal diseases are more prone to suffer from heart diseases of all types. Gum infections contain bacteria, which, when they enter the bloodstreams, settle in the arteries. AS the gum bacteria flow through the arteries, it triggers an inflammation response that can cause plaque to build upon the arteries wall. The inflammation can cause arteries to narrow and increase the chances of a heart attack or stroke.

Treatment of gum diseases may lessen the adverse consequences of heart diseases and chronic diseases. According to General & Family Dental Care visiting a dentist is the best way ensure you maintain good oral health. Frequent appointments to your dentist are necessary because the dentist can discover and treat gum infections before the problems go to your heart.

2. Gum Disease and Diabetes

Gum disease causes destructions of the tissues and bone that support your teeth. It becomes harder to control unhealthy blood sugar levels, leading to diabetes. As a result, the disease becomes more extreme because it slows the healing process and decreases the body’s ability to resist infections. The connection between gum diseases and diabetes leads to other sicknesses such as kidney and liver disease. 

Gum disease contributes to the development of kidney disease. Medical research has shown that people who have from kidney sicknesses are most likely to suffer from gum diseases. Due to high sugar levels in the system, the kidneys are overwhelmed, forcing them to filter too much blood, which, in turn, damages the kidney causing kidney failure. Also, as a result of diabetics caused by gum infections, this condition increases fat in the liver, which may lead to cirrhosis. 

3. Gum Disease and Cancer

Gum disease can increase the risk of certain cancers. For instance, esophageal cancer and breast cancer in women are linked to periodontal diseases. Research also shows that men who suffer from gum disease are more likely to develop cancer. When the gum infections get into more advanced stages, it leads to the attack of the bones that hold the teeth in place. These bacteria are also responsible for the development of pancreatic cancer.

You can reduce these risks by practicing good oral hygiene and visiting your dentist regularly. Pay more attention to your oral health since the prevention of gum disease may also mean the prevention of severe health outcomes such as cancer.