Here’s How Bacteria in the Mouth Affects the Body

It might seem like a gross over statement, but the truth is, your mouth is an entryway to the rest of your body. Because of this your oral health plays a major role in the overall health of your body. If your mouth is unhealthy, then chances are the rest of your body is unhealthy as well.

What is the connection between the mouth and the body?

Because the mouth is the opening to your body, whatever goes in it affects your body. With that in mind, your diet plays a large role in how healthy your mouth is. Diets that are high in sugar and processed carbohydrates result in excess plaque. This plaque, over time, builds up around your gums and results in inflammation. This inflammation and chemicals released over time lead to a long-term infection that eventually leads to tooth loss and bone decay.

By reducing or eliminating sugar from your diet, as well as following a good oral hygiene routine that includes brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and visiting the dentist twice a year, you can reduce the probability of decay occurring and create a healthy mouth environment.

Oral Health and Diabetes

Recent studies have indicated a connection between your oral health and diabetes. Individuals who already have diabetes are more likely to have a hard time controlling their blood sugar if they have inflammation in their mouth. As a result, this causes a two way relationship between diabetes and your overall health.

Inflammation results in the body being unable to regulate its blood sugar and when the body cannot regulate its blood sugar it creates a prime environment for plaque to grow in the mouth (because it has sugar to feed off of).

By eating a low carbohydrate diet, exercising regularly, and visiting both your dentist and physician to ensure your diabetes is in check, you can avoid these complications and enjoy a healthy life for years to come.

Oral Health and Heart Disease

Research is still being done to determine why heart disease and periodontitis are so closely related, however, the fact is that 91% of people with heart disease also have periodontitis. Many of the risk factors for heart disease, like poor diet, smoking, and excess weight are also risk factors for gum disease.

Researchers theorize that the inflammation in the mouth leads to inflammation in the blood vessels. It’s also a well-known fact that the plaque in a person’s mouth is the same plaque that is known to clog arteries.

Pregnancy and Gum Disease

Gum disease can impact even an unborn child. Infection and inflammation are known to affect a baby’s development and lead to poor lung development, low birth weight, and learning disorders.

This is why it is incredibly important for pregnant women to maintain good oral health. This includes continuing to visit the dentist throughout their pregnancy, brushing regularly, and flossing.In doing so they’re maintaining their health, as well as preventing issues for the baby like pre-term labor.