Not Keeping Those Pearly Whites Clean? How This Can Affect Much More Than Your Teeth

Not taking proper care of your teeth causes plaque to build and If you have plaque built up on your teeth, then there are also bacteria. This bacterium can cause gum disease, known as gingivitis, which is an infection of your gums. Your gums will become swollen, red, inflamed, and bleed while flossing and brushing. Your swollen gums will pull back and expose the root of your tooth, allowing an infection to set in. Once gum disease sets in, it can cause you to have many health problems throughout your body.  Below are four of these problems, which should give you even more incentive to take care of those pearly whites.

Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you know you have a higher chance of getting gum disease, so it is even more important that you take care of your teeth. This is because gum disease can make it much harder for you to control your blood sugar and it will become worse over time if the infection is not treated. This could result in you taking even more medications and you would likely have to check your sugar levels more often.

Heart Problems

Once you have an infection from gum disease, the bacteria may get into your blood stream. The bacteria may then flow to your heart muscle, which can cause heart disease. If you already have any type of heart problems, this infection can worsen your symptoms.  

Dementia

Dementia is a debilitating disease that can cause memory problems, impaired reasoning, and personality changes. A common type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. This generally starts out slowly and symptoms become worse over time.

When you have gum disease, the bacteria on your teeth can cause bacteria to flow through your nerve channels and then flow to your brain. Over time, this bacterium may kill your brain's nerve cells, which would result in dementia over time.

Respiratory Infections

When you have an infection in your mouth, each time you breathe there is a chance of this infection getting into your lungs. This could cause things like bronchitis, pneumonia, and other lung infections. If you do not get your teeth treated, breathing in bacteria over long periods of time can lead to more severe infections.

Fortunately, your dentist can treat gum disease by doing a deep cleaning, known as root planing or scaling, both above and below your gum line. Your dentist can give you more information about this procedure so you can understand it better. To find out more, speak with someone like David Jackson, DDS.