Brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist protect your oral health. Did you know that good oral hygiene protects your overall health, as well? Neglecting the care of your teeth and gums can have long-term consequences. Here are some ways that dental problems can affect your health.
Gum Disease Worsens Diabetes
Gum disease (also known as periodontitis) is an infection of the gums. Research shows a two-way relationship between gum disease and diabetes. If you have diabetes, you’re more vulnerable to gum disease. In turn, gum disease makes diabetes more difficult to manage by raising your blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, it’s important to avoid getting gum disease.
Tooth Loss Affects Your Diet
Losing just one tooth can affect your chewing function. The more teeth you lose, the harder it is to eat whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and lean meats. This eliminates many nutritional foods from your diet. A poor diet leads to health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, unhealthy weight loss or weight gain, and malnutrition.
Gum Disease Increases Risks During Pregnancy
Changing hormone levels during pregnancy affect oral health in a few ways, including increasing the risk of gum disease. Unfortunately, there are links between gum disease and pre-eclampsia, premature birth, and underweight infants. Routine dental care is an essential part of your health management during pregnancy.
Tooth Infections Can Spread
Tooth infections are often caused by untreated tooth decay. In some cases, an untreated infection can spread from the tooth to your face, neck, and other parts of the body. Tooth infections can even lead to sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition. While rare, people have died from tooth infections that spread.
Maintain Great Oral Health at Paris Mountain Dental
Dental problems affect your oral health and your overall health. Issues like gum disease are especially far-reaching and often worsen existing health conditions. Thankfully, you can keep your health in great shape by brushing, flossing, and visiting our office for services like cleanings and exams. If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ghimire, please contact our Travelers Rest office today!