When it comes to staying healthy, a lot of people will think about their nutrition, their workout habits, and their sleep. What many people tend to overlook is their oral health. Many forget that your oral health can have a steep impact on your overall health and if your oral health is poor, your body can acquire diseases that can make you seriously ill. Here is how.
Heart Attacks
It’s true. If you have poor oral health, you increase your chances of having a heart attack. Research has shown that people who have poor oral hygiene and contract gum disease were two times more likely to have heart attacks and three times more likely to have a stroke than those who had great oral health. Your mouth is the door to your body and bad gums can allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream.
Lung Infections
There is a direct path from your mouth to your lungs. The air you breathe passes through your mouth and makes its way to your lungs. If your mouth is diseased, those diseases will make their way into your windpipe and into your lungs causing inflammation. Conditions that are caused by this are COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), pneumonia, and acute bronchitis.
Diabetes
People who develop gum disease are more likely to develop diabetes than those with great oral hygiene. For those who already have diabetes, having oral health problems can make it increasingly more difficult for you to manage your blood sugar. When your mouth becomes inflamed from disease, your blood sugar level rises. That kind of spike can make your diabetes worsen and your overall health decline.
Alzheimer’s
As more research is conducted and the medical world knows more about the causes of Alzheimer’s, it is becoming known that bacteria can get into the brain and kill brain cells that lead to memory loss and poor brain function. One of the ways that bacteria can get to the brain is through your mouth. If your mouth is loaded with bacteria, you can physically swallow it and it will enter your bloodstream and go directly to your brain. Keeping your mouth clean keeps your brain clean.
Pregnancy Complications
If you are or if you are trying to become pregnant, start taking care of your mouth immediately. Your oral health directly affects the success of your pregnancy. When a woman becomes pregnant, her hormone levels will begin to change and sometimes that can cause her to become more prone to infections. If her oral health is poor, she is more likely to develop gum disease or gingivitis.
Both gum disease and gingivitis in pregnant women has been proven to cause low birth weight and premature birth in infants. Also, any kind of bacteria swallowed or placed into the bloodstream can cause serious complications for both mother and fetus.
Conclusion
Take care of your mouth. Straighten your crowded teeth to prevent disease growth, brush twice a day, and floss. This routine can save your life and save your health.
