Gum Disease and Your Body
Due to recent circumstances, you’ve found yourself unable to go to the dentist for some time. You’ve done your best to keep on top of your oral hygiene routine, but there have been some times when you’ve been lax. It’s not like anything but your teeth and gums are going to be impacted if something happens, like gum disease, right?
Wrong. The state of your mouth can certainly affect what happens with your body. Gum disease can cause problems in areas that you wouldn’t even think of as being related to your mouth. It’s doubly important to monitor your oral health and to get things fixed quickly.
Here are some ways that gum disease can affect your body:
Mouth Pain
The most logical place to start is your mouth, of course. If there is gum disease, then infection will make it very painful to do things like eat or talk. You might lose weight because eating will be too hard. You also might find yourself sleeping a lot less since mouth pain can make it very difficult to fall asleep. That’s not the only thing you need to worry about with your head – sometimes gum or tooth infections can travel upward. Yes, that same bacteria can possibly be linked to causing things like Alzheimer’s Disease.
This is where you want to get some help, because not doing so can lead to things like the above and it can just make life very miserable in the short term as well. That misery will be apparent because your temper will be higher due to the pain. You won’t smile as much. There are ways to slightly alleviate it while waiting to see the dentist. Take OTC painkillers like Tylenol. Try to do things like swishing with warm salt water to make things less hospitable for any bacteria that is lurking around there. But you do need to see a professional. Otherwise, you’re running the risk of things getting even worse.
Tooth Loss
Here’s what happens when gum disease, which can go from being a mild annoyance like gingivitis, which can be reversed, to periodontitis, which can’t – your teeth can swiftly get loose and start falling out. It’s a fast process that can leave you with empty spaces in your mouth. Tooth extractions may also become a necessity. This is not a situation that you should sit on. At the first sign of trouble, go to an emergency dentist.
Various Diseases
Your teeth and gums are not on some closed loop in your head. They offer a way to many other parts of your body. Of course, there’s the obvious with eating and drinking. You breathe with your mouth some. But your gums also offer a pathway to your bloodstream. Untended gums tend to bleed… and that can lead to unwanted intrusions from bacteria. Bacteria that can wind up making their way down your body and causing things like:
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Certain types of cancer
This is not to assume that everyone who has gum disease will have these things. There are a host of other environmental issues that can cause them. But there have been enough studies to be able to find enough of a link.
It comes down to you taking care of your teeth and your body. The two can work quite well hand in hand. First off, if you eat properly with foods that can strengthen your teeth and gums – like ones with calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C, then that can have a trickle down effect with your overall health, since those nutritious foods can also help you have energy to do things like work out and run… which can then boost your immune system. See how it all works together?
Take care of the adult teeth in your mouth – they are the only ones that you get. Brush properly for two minutes at a time twice a day. Floss. Don’t be shocked if there is blood at first when you do that. Stick with it and it will quickly go away. Use mouthwash – as directed since overdoing it will just dry out your mouth and leave it open to bacteria forming. See your dentist twice a year. It’s really that simple.
Dr. Shaista Najmi and the staff at Ivory Dental Jacksonville want you to have the best possible health overall – and they know that can start at the mouth. They will gladly work on helping you have great teeth and gums. Give them a call to make an appointment: 904-998-1555.
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Ivory Dental
11362 San Jose Blvd Suite #7,
Jacksonville, FL 32223
Phone: (904) 998-1555
Website: https://ivorydentaljacksonville.com/