Eating, breathing, and drinking are essential for survival. But do you know how these three things are related and how they impact our health and well-being? All foods and drinks that we take go through the oral cavity and the air has to pass through the same place as we breathe. It means, the substances can get contaminated in the mouth, and cause problems when they enter the body.
Oral health is crucial as it influences our general health. This post describes the various ways that maintaining or neglecting oral hygiene and health can affect the whole body system. You would not want to experience what problems poor dental health can cause to your body – away from the teeth and chewing.
These are some of the ways that your oral health can enhance the quality of your life.
1. It Can Combat Cardiovascular Disease
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Your oral health has a connection to your heart health. In some research, there is evidence that gum disease has a connection with the risk of heart disease. It means that you can lower the risk by ensuring you maintain your oral health and stay free from periodontal disease.
Oral bacterial infection can also lead to contaminated blood, which could bring infections in the transport and circulatory system. The most affected part is heart valves. Dental hygiene is important in maintaining heart health and the circulatory system from infections.
2. Oral Health Improves Diabetes Condition
People with diabetes have one major problem – their body cannot regulate blood sugar. This problem can lead to many complications. When the blood sugar is not under control, the white blood cells cannot work optimally. Bacteria and other harmful microorganisms can build up in the body.
It is not uncommon to find people with diabetes falling ill often. But oral health also plays a role in the effectiveness of the body's ability to regulate sugar levels. Some infections in the mouth can lead to inflammations. The inflammation caused by bacteria is a trigger that weakens the body's ability to monitor the sugar. Maintaining oral hygiene is necessary to curb the blood glucose problem, and you would want durable Acero steel crowns to repair damaged teeth.
3. Dental Health and Osteoporosis
The most common dental problem, periodontitis, can lead to bone loss because of the activities of the bacteria and the immune system. As the immune system fights the bacteria in the mouth, it leads to bone breakdown. This condition leads to the loss of teeth.
Although it is not clear how periodontitis relates to bone mass loss, it is evident that the disease has a close connection with the latter condition as well as tooth loss. Keeping your dental health at the peak can help you improve the other conditions or reduce their risks.
4. Gum disease and Blood Pressure
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Are you afraid of visiting your dentist? Then knowing how gum disease can cause trouble on your health can make you run for your examination. Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, can lead to high blood pressure. The conclusion comes after research results compiled from 81 studies. Patients with more severe gum disease have a higher risk of suffering from high blood pressure.
For people who are already suffering from high blood pressure, gum disease can lead to worsening of their condition. Taking care of your oral health will help you to boost your general health and keep you at a safe distance from blood pressure.
5. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Patients who are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of developing gum disease and gum inflammation. However, the connection also shows that either of the two conditions can lead to or determine the other. For instance, people who have gum disease might develop rheumatoid arthritis.
Treating either of the condition can improve the patient's health. Dental health and hygiene observation not only helps a patient to recover from their gum disease or gum inflammation but also reduces the severity of arthritis.
6. Dental Health and Stroke
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So many associations of dental health and general health. We are not through yet. Stroke is one of the severest conditions that can arise from poor dental health. Not looking after your oral health can make your body have a problem transporting enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the brain cells.
Both periodontitis and gingivitis have a connection with stroke. Precisely, from research, gingival inflammation can lead to stroke – and it has a direct connection. Regardless of the severity of gum infections, a person with the condition can put the patient at risk of suffering from a stroke.
7. Oral Health and Dementia
Dementia is a condition that causes a decline in cognition. The problem can arise from various underlying causes. Gingivitis is one of the problems that can cause the condition. Bacteria from oral infection can pass through blood or nerves and reach the brain. In the brain, the bacteria can start damaging the cells leading to a decline in brain performance.
In its severe condition, a patient may develop Alzheimer's disease. But you can avoid all these by employing proper dental care. With adequate dental health, you can save your life from such a severe condition. You would want to visit your dentist as often as he advises you.
8. Respiratory Infections
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One of the common respiratory problems is pneumonia. Although you may wonder how dental problems can relate to pneumonia, you would want to consider that the mouth is the deposit of so many harmful bacteria. When you are breathing, you are taking in the bacteria down your respiratory system and into the lungs.
Over time, the bacteria you breathe in can stick to the walls of the lungs. Such bacteria can fill up and cause damage – think of the plaque it can cause. Damage to lungs and air sacs in the lungs can lead to severe infections, and pneumonia is one of the problems that arise from dental infections. Taking care of your dental health is essential to ensure that you have a healthy lifestyle away from breathing problems.
In Summary
We need to take care of our health. Many people do not give dental health the thought it deserves. However, for you to live a better life, you would want to ensure that your oral health is at the peak. I know you do brush your teeth at least twice a day. But how often do you visit the dentist? Have you considered how drinking, smoking, and diet can affect your oral health? All these contribute to your health standards.
