Oral Health and Overall Health Connection

How Your Mouth Affects Your Body: Understanding the Risks

Your mouth is teeming with bacteria, most of which are harmless. However, when oral hygiene is neglected, harmful bacteria can multiply out of control, leading to gum disease. This oral infection can affect the rest of your body in two primary ways:

1. Bacteria Entering the Bloodstream: Severe gum disease, or periodontitis, causes the gums to become inflamed and bleed, creating an entry point for harmful oral bacteria to enter your bloodstream. From there, they can travel to any part of your body, including your heart and brain.

2. Chronic Inflammation: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease. The persistent inflammation in your gums can trigger a cascade of damaging inflammation throughout your body, which is known to contribute to a variety of serious health conditions.

   
   

Oral Health's Link to Specific Systemic Diseases

Extensive research has established strong links between poor oral health (specifically periodontitis) and a number of serious systemic diseases:

• Heart Disease & Stroke: Oral bacteria entering the bloodstream can attach to fatty plaques in the heart's blood vessels, which can contribute to atherosclerosis (clogged arteries). This inflammation increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

• Diabetes: The connection between gum disease and diabetes is a dangerous two-way street. People with diabetes are more susceptible to infections, including gum disease. At the same time, severe gum disease can make it more difficult to control blood sugar levels, causing diabetes to progress.

  
  

• Respiratory Infections: Bacteria from the mouth can be inhaled into the lungs, which can lead to respiratory infections like pneumonia. This is a particular concern for older adults or those with weakened immune systems.

  
  

• Pregnancy Complications: Pregnant women with periodontitis may be at an increased risk of delivering their babies prematurely and having babies with low birth weight.

  
  

• Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: Emerging research has suggested a link between the bacteria that cause gingivitis and periodontitis and an increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease later in life.