Good oral hygiene habits are necessary for preventing cavities and gum disease, but they can also help you to live a long and healthy life. That’s because your oral health is highly connected to your overall health in a number of ways. Oral health problems can have a compounding effect that ultimately leads to poor health outcomes that extend far beyond the mouth. The inflammation associated with gum disease can wear down the body, while the germs in your mouth can enter the bloodstream and wreak havoc on your organs.

At Ormond Beach Perio, we always try to educate patients about the impact oral health has on your heart, lungs, and brain. If you’re suffering from gum disease or need periodontic care, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible in order to treat the condition before it transforms into something even more serious.

Here are three ways oral health is connected to your overall health:

1. Your Oral Health Influences Your Cardiovascular Health

Maintaining good oral health is essential for your heart’s longevity. Seeking periodontic care for gum disease can actually help to prevent heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues. Additionally, scientists now consider gum disease an independent risk factor for heart disease. When the body experiences chronic inflammation, the bloodstream can become loaded with inflammatory cells, which can place the heart under significant stress as they continuously flow through the cardiovascular system.

Harmful bacteria from your mouth can enter your bloodstream as well and can even result in Endocarditis, which is an infection of the inner lining of the heart chamber or valve. The plaque that accumulates on your teeth is the same plaque that clogs your arteries. Many believe that the plaque from your teeth can eventually make its way into your arteries and restrict blood flow.

2. Your Oral Health Influences Your Cognitive Health

There is still a lot to learn about the connection between your oral health and your cognitive health, but many studies have suggested there is a correlation. Those inflammatory blood cells caused by inflammation also flow to the brain where they can cause chaos. Numerous studies have linked gum disease and missing teeth with decreased cognitive performance and even the onset of dementia. In order to keep your mind sharp and prevent decline, maintaining your oral health is key.

3. Your Oral Health Influences Your Respiratory System

Poor oral health doesn’t just impact your cardiovascular and cognitive health, it also impacts your respiratory system as well.

This is especially true when patients have a pre-existing condition like asthma, emphysema, or COPD. When you’re suffering from gum disease, your mouth is full of harmful bacteria that can easily enter the respiratory tract and make their way to the lungs. Patients with unhealthy lungs aren’t able to easily fight off this bacteria, which can exacerbate the pre-existing issues. Even patients who do have healthy lungs may end up with a bad case of pneumonia.

Your heart, brain, and lungs are three areas of the body that could be adversely impacted by poor oral health; however, the negative effects don’t stop there. Chronic inflammation in the mouth can result in problems all over the body including chronic fatigue, headaches, blood pressure issues, sinus problems, pregnancy complications, and much more.

Oral conditions such as tooth loss can also drastically affect your mental health. If you’re missing a tooth, it can impact your self-confidence as well as your personal and professional relationships. This can result in increased depression and anxiety.

Bottom line — if you want to live a long and healthy life, taking care of your teeth and gums is one of the most important things you can do.

How Ormond Beach Perio Can Help You Maintain Good Oral Health

Reducing the risk of complications ultimately comes down to seeking effective treatment as quickly as possible. When you’re suffering from severe gum disease, sometimes a trip to the dentist won’t cut it. Periodontic care can help reverse the negative impacts of tooth loss and eliminate chronic inflammation caused by gum disease.

Many people are surprised to learn the benefits of good oral health extend far beyond the mouth. If you’re suffering from gum disease or tooth loss, take control of your oral health before it’s too late. Our team can create a unique treatment plan that eliminates gum disease, resolves tooth loss, and ultimately helps you live a long and healthy life. We help patients who range in age from teens to senior citizens, and we’re certain we can help you too. Contact us at Ormond Beach Perio today.