The state of your mouth, teeth, and gum line can reveal a lot about your overall health. Your dental specialist looks for more than signs of tooth decay when conducting a routine dental checkup. This is because abnormalities in your mouth can indicate problems elsewhere in your body.
Read on to discover the six medical conditions capable of putting you at serious risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
1. Hypertension
Your gums are more likely to bleed or become inflamed if you have hypertension, which increases your risk of getting gum disease. Hypertension meds can hamper your salivary flow, which can cause an onset of decay. If you're diagnosed with hypertension or if this disease runs in your family, consult your health care provider and dental specialist about the ways you can prevent or treat it. One type of blood pressure medicine called an ACE inhibitor may help preserve your dental health while also keeping your blood pressure down.
2. Heart problems
Experts believe that dental health and heart problems are strongly interconnected, but the way they influence each other is still unknown. If you're dealing with periodontitis, a severe stage of gum disease, you're twice as likely to get heart problems. Bacteria from inflamed gums are thought to move through your body, ultimately reaching your heart and damaging its complicated structure. The more thoroughly you care for your teeth and gums, the lower your chances of getting cardiovascular disease.
3. Diabetes
Periodontitis can be caused by diabetes. Your gums may start pulling away from your teeth, causing them to become loose and even putting you at risk of tooth loss. If you're diabetic, keeping your blood sugar levels in check might help you avoid getting gum disease. If you have both gum disease and diabetes, you should consult a periodontist, who may prescribe gum surgery. Also, inform your endocrinologist if you have gum disease so they can help you manage it with proper dental hygiene and a balanced diet.
4. Excess weight
You have a higher risk of getting the periodontal disease if you are severely overweight. Researchers aren't sure if excess weight directly results in gum disease, but they believe the two issues are linked through inflammation. Gum disease is an inflammatory disorder, and fat cells release substances that cause inflammation. If you're obese, work with your health care provider to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, which will lower your risk of gum disease and other obesity-related medical disorders. If you’ve tried conservative weight loss methods and failed to achieve desired results, try consulting one of the leading bariatric doctors to determine whether a bariatric weight loss procedure is an appropriate solution for you.
5. Persistent renal disease
Persistent renal disease and periodontitis have a two-way relationship. Gum disease is linked to chronic renal disease, which can result in bone deterioration, heart problems, and hypertension. As a result, a long-term gum infection can create inflammation throughout your body, which can wreak havoc on your kidneys. Everyone should brush their teeth and floss their gums, but if you have renal disease, even mildly inflamed gums could turn into something more dangerous. Hence, try practicing the best possible dental hygiene and visit regular dental checkups.
6. Lung diseases
Gum disease, which raises the number of dangerous bacteria, has been related to lung problems like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), bronchitis, and pneumonia. The bacteria have the ability to migrate to your lungs, resulting in severe infection. Keeping your gums healthy by working with your dentist, and letting your doctor know if you have gum diseases and lung symptoms like coughing or difficulty breathing are great ideas. Smoking exacerbates these issues, so if you're a smoker, talk to your dental specialist or physician about quitting.
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