5 Deadly Health Conditions Linked to Poor Oral Health

Many of us maintain good oral hygiene to prevent cavities and avoid the embarrassment of bad breath.

Well, you may be thrilled to discover that your efforts to brush twice daily and floss regularly are preventing deadly diseases.

Your oral health and overall health are interlinked. Sometimes cavities or gum disease are a sign your health is in jeopardy.

Below are the deadly health conditions linked to poor oral health.

1. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Have you been exercising and reading regularly to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s? Well, you also need to take good care of your oral health.

Research shows that there’s a link between Alzheimer’s disease and gum disease. In fact, a type of bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis) associated with gum disease has been found in brains of Alzheimer’s patients, according to this report. 

Worse still, this study shows that people who have had gum disease for ten years have double the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

2. DIABETES

Did you know that diabetes can wreak havoc in your kidneys, nerves, eyes and mouth?

When diabetes is not managed, high blood sugar levels in your saliva allow harmful bacteria to grow in your mouth. The bad bacteria then trigger the formation of plaque, which causes bad breath, cavities and gum disease.

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are more than 7.2 million cases of undiagnosed diabetes in the U.S. Therefore, it’s essential to get tested for diabetes if you suffer gum disease or other oral issues.

3. HEART DISEASE

As shocking as it may sound, numerous studies show there’s a link between poor oral health and a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases.

After analyzing data from nearly a million people and accounting for factors such as smoking and age, researchers still found there was a correlation between tooth loss and coronary heart disease.

No one fully understands this weird link between oral health and heart disease but several theories exist. One is that harmful bacteria travel to blood vessels, causing inflammation and blood clots.

4. CANCER

You would be right to assume that poor oral health increases your risk of oral cancer. But poor oral health may also lead to other types of cancer.

According to this study, diseases affecting the tissues around your mouth seem to play a part in the onset of pancreatic cancer.

Moreover, more than a third of cancer patients develop conditions that affect the mouth such as mouth sores, dry mouth, infections, jaw pain and sensitive gums.

This goes to show that maintaining good oral hygiene can help lower your risk of cancer and help manage different types of cancer.

5. INFERTILITY

Oral health affects fertility in both women and men. In a study investigating how gum disease affects pregnancy, researchers found that women with gum disease took 2 months longer to conceive compared to women without gum disease.

Research also shows that men with tooth decay and gum disease have poor sperm and semen health.

Obviously, my goal with this article was not to scare you but to show you the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene – it can literally save your life.

Therefore, start taking better care of your mouth by brushing twice a day, flossing and visiting the dentist regularly.