Many of us work hard to have a healthy body. We work out at least three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. We eat nutritious foods. We drink a lot of water. But many of us don’t realize that even with all that if we don’t have healthy teeth we could be poisoning our bodies. Healthy teeth will help to keep a healthy body.
Gum Disease
Chronic inflammation due to gum disease has been linked to cardiovascular diseases and blockages in blood vessels. Even though most medical institutions won’t go so far as to say that there is a direct cause and effect relationship between these diseases and gum disease, there have been studies that show a clear link between the two.
Poor Memory
You may not think that issues with your mouth and you not doing well on tests or remember your grandmother's birthday, but there is a link between gingivitis and poor memory. The two skills that are affected most are poor verbal memory and math, specifically subtraction. The bacteria in your mouth is so close to your brain that the infection can directly affect some of your cognitive abilities.
Arthritis
Scientists have found a direct connection between inflammation of your gums from poor dental health and rheumatoid arthritis. Both gum disease and RA attack the connective tissue in your body and scientists have discovered that if you improve your gum disease, you’ll be able to improve your RA symptoms. Healthy eating and regular brushing are just a few things you can do to help.
Diabetes
Scientists have found that people with diabetes often have poor gum health. And they’ve also found that the methods to improve your gum health will also improve your diabetes. If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to develop gum disease because your immune system has been compromised. So it’s even more important to keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy.
Pregnancy
If you are pregnant, it’s important to include a visit to a periodontist, like Dr. Leonardo Blanco Dentista Maringá, as part of your prenatal health. While not all medical studies have found a direct correlation, there have been a few studies show a link between poor dental health and low birth weight. Even if it’s not the case for you, it’s still best to visit your dentist as part of your regime to create a healthy pregnancy and birth of your child.
These are just a few of the possible issues that can occur if you have poor dental health. While having poor health and poor dental hygiene may not be directly linked and only occur together out of coincidence, it’s still a good idea to have good dental hygiene to prevent your teeth from decaying, which leads to at the very least bad breath and at the worst, gum disease that spreads to the rest of your body.
What you can do to help
A few things you can do to help your gums stay healthy are to brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day. Make sure to floss between your teeth and gums to remove any excess particles. Eat a balanced diet and reduce the number of sugary snacks you consume. The sweets, in particular, have a detrimental effect on your teeth if you don’t brush and floss daily.
Next, use an antimicrobial mouthwash daily. Your dentist can give you advice on the best product to use for your specific mouth and its health.
Speaking of dentists, schedule regular checkups with your dentist and get your teeth cleaned as prescribed by your dentist. Teeth cleaning removes any tartar that traps plague and can cause disease. Some insurances actually cover teeth cleaning as part of a preventative medical routine.
So, watch for any changes and let your dentist know immediately so they can start a program to keep you and your baby healthy and happy.
