You may not like to hear this but your mouth is one of the worst areas of your body for harbouring Bacteria. Most of these 500 or so bacteria won't harm you if you maintain a healthy oral regime but if you don't keep it up there are all kinds of things that can go wrong as your teeth and gums start to break down.
The earliest signs of trouble are obvious to your dentist. They will notice cavities in the teeth and receding gums that are caused by Gum Disease. We get this when we don't keep on top of plaque – a yellowish substance that sticks to your teeth and gums and causes infection. The bacteria in plaque can attack the enamel in your teeth and make holes in it. If not caught in time this can lead to periodontal disease and you could find your teeth dropping out because of underlying damage to the bones that support your teeth.
One of the main forms of gum disease is Gingivitiswhich results in infection and sore a swollen gums. Generally the gums are dark red in colour rather than a healthy pink and the breath can small bad. This is known as halitosis and it is caused by particles of food getting stuck between the teeth and giving off hydrogen sulphide amongst other chemicals. Regular flossing can help to remove these particles and you should floss your teeth every day.
If you have gum disease then it is highly likely that harmful bacteria can enter your bloodstream via your mouth and this can cause all kinds of medical conditions and problems, depending on how good your immune system is working. Certain medical conditions and treatments can reduce your immune systems ability to protect you from serious infections. For example, chemotherapy for cancer is known to reduce the immune systems ability to fight infection.
Here are just some of the medical conditions that have proven links to gum disease and bad oral hygiene.
Heart disease – due to narrowing of the arteries caused by a build-up of bacteria and plaque. Also, as the bacteria has a clotting agent this can cause both heart attacked and stroke.
Endocarditis– caused by bacteria getting into the inner lining of the heart and valves causing serious infection of the heart.
Rheumatoid Arthritis – there is an increase in levels of inflammation and pain associated with this condition due to serious gum disease. National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
Lung problems– like COPD and pneumonia can be worsened as bacteria enters the lungs and causes inflammation. A study published in the Journal of Periodontology http://www.joponline.org/doi/pdf/10.1902/jop.2001.72.1.50 uncovered a link between gum disease and an increased risk of pneumonia and acute bronchitis.
Diabetes – existing diabetes sufferers and more prone to infections and so are particularly at risk and for those who don't yet suffer from it severe gum disease can cause problems with controlling blood sugar and lead to diabetes.
Alzheimer’s disease. One study, published in Behavioral and Brain Functions, found that infections in the gums release inflammatory substances which in turn increase brain inflammation that can cause neuronal (brain cell) death.
Erectile Dysfunction – men with serious gum disease are much more likely to suffer from this than those with good oral health. The bacteria gets into the bloodstream, blocking the blood vessels that carry blood to the genitals.
Cancer – research has shown a definite link between gum disease and kidney and pancreatic cancers as well as a lower link to blood cancer.
Kidney disease – Due to the weaker immune systems of people with gum disease there is a greater change of blood and water infections leading to renal failure or heart disease.
So, if you want to give yourself the best possible change of avoiding these serious conditions it is really quite simple to improve your dental hygiene.
All you need to do, as well as visiting your dentist twice a year, is to brush your teeth and gums at least twice a day and floss regularly. Use mouthwash to help keep bacteria and bad breath at bay, avoid sugary foods and try to give up smoking.
Surely it's worth it for a healthier future!
