How Oral Health Affects General Health

Diseases including such forms as diabetes, heart disease along with many carcinogenic disorders have very certain etiology, reasons behind their occurrence. On diagnosis, they have also come up with very shocking, never expected causes, which they usually do not occur with. Oral problems, yes small-to-bigger abnormalities related to teeth claim to have been largely responsible for such disasters. The only reason why it is not so obvious because patients, who already have been suffering from such dental issues, are not much concerned with such problem perhaps; and because of their negligence, the dental problems seem to have headed up with more excruciating problems, added to their common oral diseases regardless.

Understanding on what causes the oral problems:

The dental problems may include infected or inflammated gums, tooth decay, mouth ulcers, bad breath, tooth abscess, tooth sensitivity, plaque formation etc.

  • Plaque/Tartar: A sticky coating of bacteria and left-out food particles (sugary, acidic) form a hardened covering on teeth over the time. This later causes further damage to adjoining teeth/gum/jawbone structures, causing tooth decay, gingivitis (gum disease), discoloration and largely an oral cancer as well.
  • Chewing gum/Sugary Food: Sugary/sticky substances found in chewing gum & other dietary intake leads to plaque formations and further damages to tooth structure.
  • Improper Dental Hygiene/Technique: Careless oral cleanliness, improper brushing types/techniques, and inadequate care to already developed oral problems cause many oral defects.
  • During Pregnancy: Hormonal changes throughout pregnancy may lead to several periodontal problems such as gingivitis, bleeding gums, mouth ulcers etc.

Connection between dental problems and overall physical conditions:

Improper Digestion:

Inappropriate Chewing of food may very soon lead to disturbed food digestion, sometimes putting you on some extra weight. Chewing process breaks down the food into small particles; the saliva in mouth helps in further breaking down the starch and fats from food we eat. Hence, the poorly chewed food remains bigger in particles with more fat left before reaching to stomach. Now all the way, it travels to our digestive system causing some discomfort with undigested food through, at the same time forcing our body to gain more weight perhaps.

It further causes constipation, cramping, diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating and so on.

Heart Disease: People with gum diseases (periodontal diseases), mouth soreness, inflammation or lump in mouth or difficulty swallowing are more likely to have cardiac problems than those without such problems. An inflammation in mouth raises further swelling in blood vessels. The more swollen (constricted) blood vessels have a slow blood flow, which triggers cardiovascular diseases. Regular smokers with poor oral hygiene & diabetes are more vulnerable to heart problems.

Diabetes:

Mouth ulcers or inflammation in mouth cuts off body’s capacity to control sugar levels. Diabetic person with less insulin making capacity has further worsening instead. Periodontal diseases decrease the physical ability to use the insulin in its maximum limits too. In return, an unregulated sugar flow (high blood sugar) affects our body much excruciatingly, as being the healthy source for bacteria to grow more and damage the tooth, gum areas along with an overall physical condition.

Going to Dentist:

Irregular dental checkups – concerning teeth cleaning/flossing or any other dental surgery – with your dentists can help you to avoid further deterioration of your dental issues. Furthermore, it stops any additional physical disorders to occur, reducing a need for going to your physician instead.