3 Health Conditions Connected to Gum Disease

When they need to take care of their teeth, people go to a dentist, not a doctor. That may be one reason why people think of their oral health as being disconnected from the rest of the body.
However, contemporary scientific research has found that disease in the mouth can have pretty significant effects on key organs. Gum disease in particular has been connected to a host of other health conditions. Here are a few examples.

Cardiovascular Disease

Studies show that there’s a significant correlation between gum disease and heart disease, with some surveys estimating that gum disease makes people an average of 20% more likely to have cardiovascular issues.

Gum disease is caused by a bacterial infection along the gum line. These bacteria are responsible for plaque deposits and inflammation, among other things. As the infection becomes more severe, the gums can start to recede from the teeth. It’s thought that in this way, bacteria can enter the bloodstream and infect other parts of the body.

These bacteria glom together into plaque deposits, and when those build up in the arteries, they can put excess pressure on the heart. Paired with other risk factors, gum disease can therefore cause serious cardiovascular complications.

Respiratory Disease

In a similar vein, recent research has found a correlation between gum disease and lung problems. One study even found a strain of bacteria commonly responsible for gum disease in the lungs of patients with chronic respiratory conditions. It’s theorized that these bacteria inflame the lungs, making these conditions much worse than they would be otherwise.

Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you may know that it can potentially increase your risk of developing gum disease. You may not be aware that the opposite is also true; gum disease has the effect of making your blood sugar levels much higher, increasing your risk of developing diabetes.

It’s believed that blood sugar spikes are a part of the body’s natural response to fighting bacterial infection, meaning that you ought to be careful about infection if you already have diabetes as well.

As you can see, protecting your teeth is about much more than a pretty smile—it’s an important part of living a healthy life in general. By taking your oral health more seriously, you can take a big step toward preventing a wide variety of other health issues.

About Our Practice

At Advanced Dental Care of Springfield, we want to help as many people as we can achieve immaculate oral health. Regardless of a person’s age or the state of their teeth, we’re happy to do everything we can to help them get the smile of their dreams. We spend one-on-one time with our patients so that we can understand their unique needs and create a treatment plan tailored to their needs.

If you have any questions about how gum disease can affect the rest of your body, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (217) 546-3333.