Since childhood, we have been taught that not having proper dental hygiene might lead to serious problems like tooth decay, bad breath, and yellow teeth. However, it is important to note that not maintaining oral health might lead to different types of serious illnesses which are beyond just dental well-being.
In this article, let us find out all about the importance of dental health beyond what meets the eye.
What are the signs of bad dental health?
Some of the symptoms of poor dental health include (but not limited to) the following –
- Loose and wobbly teeth
- Teeth being extremely sensitive to hot and cold beverages or sweets
- Continuous or intermittent gum problems like redness, swelling up, pain, etc.
- Bad breath
- Abscessed teeth
If you start to spot any of the above symptoms suddenly, then it might be time that you need to consider visiting AfterPay Dentist.
Does dental health really affect our overall health?
Through years of research, it has been observed that poor dental health can be one of the causes behind some major diseases that occur in the body. Infections inside the mouth can cause havoc to your overall well-being and might even affect different organs of the body like heart, respiratory tract, etc.
Researches carried out all over the world have been able to identify how dental health is related to such life-threatening illnesses. So the fact remains that both these kinds of well-beings – dental and overall, are inter-related.
Now, let us start by finding out what is essentially meant by poor oral health. There are certain indicative signs from which you might be able to gauge that.
What ailments can be caused by poor dental health?
Your mouth is the entry point of the digestive as well as the respiratory tract, so it is naturally more exposed to bacteria. And without proper dental care, your mouth can easily become a home to various infection-causing bacteria. When the level of harmful bacteria grows beyond checking inside your mouth, it invariably leads to different types of teeth and gum diseases.
To treat such oral ailments, you would have to resort to taking different types of medicines. Oral medications, like pain-killers, are known to come with side-effects when used for a long time. Moreover, studies suggest that these medications can also lower the level of saliva in your mouth. Saliva is an extremely important component that not only helps in digestion, but it also neutralizes the effect of bacteria inside the mouth. So a lowering of saliva increases the amount of microbes present and that might lead to several types of diseases.
When you do not take proper care of oral health, it might trigger serious disorders like the following.
Heart Diseases
When the infection causing bacteria increases inside the mouth, it generates some very complicated systemic problems that lead to the formation of small blood clots. Blood clots within our system are very dangerous since these reduce the amount of blood flow to and from the heart, thereby depriving it of sufficient oxygen and nutrients. This leads to cardiovascular ailments triggered by untreated dental infections.
Strokes
Studies have shown that people who suffer from dental problems tend to be afflicted by strokes more than those who do not suffer from such conditions. Periodontal diseases caused by germs residing in the mouth of chain smokers can eventually lead to strokes. Researches are still underway to identify the exact relation, but with proper medical intervention and care, the risk of stroke can be minimized.
Alzheimer’s
Chronic gum diseases have been linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, as per the latest studies. Researchers have seen that the bacteria causing problems in the gums have a relation with the increase in Alzheimer’s diseases in patients. Studies are still underway to reaffirm this evidence.
Pregnancy complications
Bad dental health has a great impact on unborn babies. It has been seen that pregnant women with poor oral health might give birth to premature babies or underweight babies. The researchers are studying the cause behind this occurrence but the general notion is, due to an increase in gum infection there might be a secretion of chemicals that stimulates labour. Hence during pregnancy, taking care of your dental health becomes much more important.
Dementia
Researchers assert that gum problems are also related to dementia. They believe that in uncontrolled dental problems, harmful bacteria might reach the brain thereby causing inflammation and blockage, which eventually results in dementia. Poor oral health can increase the likelihood of dementia in adults by nearly 65%, as per studies.
How to maintain sound dental health?
In order to maintain good dental health, you should be particular about the following in the long run –
- Do not forget to brush your teeth twice daily.
- Do not avoid flossing to keep away the extra food particles between the teeth.
- Use a good mouthwash for added protection.
- Schedule a visit to the dentist at a regular interval.
- Limit sugar and sticky food consumption.
- Increase the intake of foods that are rich in vitamins and calcium.
Conclusion
With all the precautions, care, and concern, you would not only be able to avoid dental problems but would also be able to have better overall health. In case you get any indicators of dental problem, do not hesitate to visit your dentist at the earliest!