Your Novi Dental Office Discusses the Relationship Between Oral Care and Physical Health

Taking proper care of your smile shouldn’t be complicated. Proper oral health means that your smile will look and feel nicer, you won’t have as many cavities and you won’t require as many fillings, and you’ll significantly reduce your risk of gum diseases such as gingivitis or periodontitis.

These are all simple things to understand about your smile. However, what a lot of people don’t think about are the ways in which their oral health affects their overall health and well-being.

When a person doesn’t take proper care of their teeth, their mouth becomes overrun by bacteria that produce harmful acids and wear away at your tooth enamel. Since the mouth is the main entryway into our bodies, these harmful bacteria easily infiltrate our defenses and spread to other parts of our bodies.

Below, our Novi dental office looks at four ways in which poor oral health affects our well-being.

Cardiovascular Disease

When a person’s mouth is overrun by harmful bacteria, it leads to infections and spreads into the bloodstream, which increases the patient's risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

This bacteria leads to a buildup of plaque in your arteries, leading to reduced blood flow. Furthermore, plaque buildup causes your arteries to become harder, which all leads to an increased risk of developing blockages near your heart.

Diabetes

Many people don’t know that oral problems such as gum disease increases a person’s blood sugar levels. This alone puts people at a greater risk of developing diabetes.

However, for those who already have the condition, this increase in blood sugar levels make it much harder to monitor and control their condition.

Also, diabetes increases a person’s risk of developing gum disease, therefore, those who suffer from diabetes can easily develop oral issues if they don’t take proper care of their teeth.

Respiratory Problems

When harmful bacteria get into your bloodstream, it spreads to your lungs as well. This causes all sorts of respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia. This means that people who don’t take proper care of their oral health often come down with colds and other illnesses.

Kidney Disease

By now, it should be easy to see how poor oral health  weakens your body’s immune system, which makes you more susceptible to all sorts of health problems. A lack of proper oral hygiene has been linked to people developing kidney infections, which causes diseases of the kidneys.

Of course, there are many other complications that are caused by poor oral health, which is why taking care of your mouth is crucial to being as healthy as possible. If you’d like to learn more about the ways that poor oral health impacts your life, contact our office and make an appointment by calling (248) 624-2701 to visit our Novi dental office as soon as you can.