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How Poor Dental Care May Affect Your Overall Health

Tooth loss isn’t the only thing you have to worry about when you have poor dental care. A lot of studies actually link it with tons of health issues- some of them can even be fatal. These effects may not be noticeable right away but as you age and the longer you neglect your oral care, the more damage it can cause to your overall health.

Here’s a quick rundown of how the lack of proper dental hygiene can make you sick.

It can affect your memory

Poor dental care is linked with cases of dementia. This condition results in memory loss, frequent changes in mood and dysfunctional reasoning.

Several experts suggest that when you have infected gums and teeth, bacteria can travel to your blood streams and enter your brain circulation. Once this happens, plaques can form which can lead to Alzheimer’s disease and cases of dementia.

It can cause complications to your heart

If you have gum disease, you are actually twice at risk of heart problems than those who don’t. Since bacteria can enter your systemic blood circulation, there’s a good chance it can reach your heart, too. Once these bad microorganisms are in your heart’s blood vessels, they can trigger an inflammatory response and plaque build up.

When your blood vessels become blocked, the blood circulation to the rest of your body becomes impaired. This can result in poor functioning and even organ failure. In case of inflammation and infection happen, you can end up with endocarditis. This condition, when left untreated, can cause damage to your heart valves which can result in several life-threatening complications.

It can give you problems with breathing

Based on a report of the Journal of Periodontology, improper dental hygiene can also cause chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, pneumonia and other respiratory infections. Experts suggest that as bacteria proliferate in your mouth, there’s an increased chance for you to inhale them into your lungs. This can result in inflammatory reactions and infections. The longer you let these bacteria in your mouth, the more chronic the infection can get and the harder it becomes to treat.

It can affect your fertility

The effects of poor dental hygiene can also extend to your capability to bear a child. Although the exact mechanism isn’t fully known, researchers in Australia found out that women with gum diseases tend to experience a longer time to conceive.

In their study, these women took 7 long months before they were able to bear a child. This is actually two months longer than the time it takes for healthy women to conceive. Aside from this, gum diseases have also been linked to increased risk of miscarriages.

It can complicate your diabetes

When you have diabetes, treating wound is of utmost concern. Since wound healing is delayed for people with this disease, prompt treatment is necessary to avoid complications. If you have gum diseases, it will make it even harder for you to control your blood sugar and its negative effects.

Most dentists don’t actually conduct dental procedures right away on diabetic patients. They have to be sure first that their blood sugar levels are within normal range to ensure their patients’ safety.

Conclusion / Solution

Proper dental hygiene involves more than just brushing. A good dental care guide should show you the importance of flossing and undergoing a routine dental examination to ensure your overall health.

It should also be able to guide you in picking the right dental tools, such as the proper toothbrush type and toothpaste, based on your individual preference and needs.

More and more studies have confirmed that electric toothbrushes are more effective in cleaning and removing plaque and gingivitis – which is the whole reason why we brush our teeth in the first place. An electric toothbrush is also one of the best proven methods to convince your children to brush their teeth regularly. You can find some reviews of the best electric toothbrushes online, so you’ll know which one will perfectly fit your needs and preferences.

Proper dental care isn’t built overnight. It’s a habit that stems out of a good routine.

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