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Health Issues That Stem From Teeth

From a young age we learn that neglecting our teeth can cause problems with our gums, and that brushing twice a day and a regular flossing regime can help prevent bacteria and cavities starting to form.

What most of us are never taught however is that dental health is actually one of the cornerstones of keeping the body and organs healthy too.

This is especially true if someone has certain medical conditions or auto-immune problems.

It is now known that the whole body is linked and your teeth are a pivotal part of that so when something becomes infected in the teeth, gums or jaw it can actually get into the bloodstream and begin to change our blood cell balance leading potentially to some extremely serious conditions such as organ failure or heart disease, and highly exacerbating those already present such as auto-immune conditions like diabetes, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

The good news is that this is a much researched area now and dental practitioners are always on the alert for tell-tale signs that in the past may have gone unnoticed.

The following is a list of conditions known to be affected by poor oral health.

Heart Disease and Stroke

These two extremely serious implications are placed together as the cause of both from a dental angle is usually the same.

The best guess for higher rates of causality is that periodontitis builds up and then ultimately releases into the bloodstream creating greater inflammation in the walls of the arteries leading to either brain or heart.

If this inflammation plaque build-up gets too much it can then become detached and block the artery leading to stroke in the arteries leading to the brain, or heart disease and potential heart attack in the arteries leading to the heart.

Atherosclerosis

Going hand in hand with heart disease atherosclerosis is the name for the condition of decreased blood flow through the arteries due to a thickening of the artery wall caused by plaques, it is a leading cause of stroke and heart attack.

Endocarditis

The endocardium is the inner lining of the chambers and valves of the heart, and this can also become inflamed and infected over time by plaques carried in the blood from other areas of the body including the gums.

Diabetes

Diabetes, especially for newer sufferers may be less controlled, and at these times periodontal disease is more likely to be an issue. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums and bone areas that hold the teeth rigidly, and this causes effects such as halitosis (bad breath) tooth loss, and mild to severe pain.

Diabetes will also increase the sugar production level within your saliva potentially causing oral thrush, a fungal infection causing patchiness and potentially a significant amount of pain.

Dementia

The bacteria caused by gingivitis can access the brain through either the nerve channel or the bloodstream and is a primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

Respiratory infection

When the bacterial build-up is significant and we are inhaling it all day every day, this can substantially impact lung health and performance, as well as heighten the chance of pneumonia.

Kidney disease

If a patient is suffering from Kidney Disease, then their immune system is likely to be weaker and therefore they will be more susceptible to tooth and gum infections, creating a cyclical relationship between the disease and the dental implications as both make the other worse.

Sjogren’s Syndrome

Another of the auto-immune conditions, Sjogren’s is often linked to other auto-immune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, and causes a patients eyes and mouth to be dryer than normal, this causes issues with chewing function and can easily lead to difficulty maintaining high standards of oral health. Patients are much more likely to develop oral thrush.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

The relationship between dental health and rheumatoid arthritis is a frequent one and as such has been at the forefront of studies in this area.

As far back as Hippocrates there are records of ‘pulling out the teeth’ as a treatment option for arthritis, and this does have some theoretical backing, but of course we now know that it's a terrible idea for gum health.

The common understanding is that periodontal conditions can stimulate rheumatoid arthritis, as well as the condition itself making it harder to maintain optimal oral health routines such as brushing and flossing.

Lupus

Common side effects of lupus are chronic ulceration of the lips, as well as lesions appearing on the tongue, lips and mouth areas.

This auto-immune condition also attacks the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands, collectively known as the salivary glands and can lead to dry mouth and an ample environment for bacterial growth.

Lupus in terms of causality is often linked to Sjogren’s Syndrome.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system.

It can cause stiffness in jaw muscles making it very hard to chew and swallow. This in turn increases the likelihood of a patient choking and also causes saliva to pool within the mouth and throat, which leads to infection.

This collectively creates a bacterial overload that can easily lead to severe gum disease which as mentioned can then enter the bloodstream and cause even more serious conditions.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Known more commonly as Lou Gehrig disease, ALS causes muscles to weaken, and progressively weakens physical functioning. This causes brushing and flossing to be difficult.

The condition creates a substantial saliva build-up and greatly increases the chances of plaque and bacteria, potentially leading to gum disease, cavities and pneumonia.

Osteoporosis

Periodontitis can create a low bone mineral density in the part of the jaw that holds the tooth sockets, this is known as alveolar bone loss and is a significant trait of osteoporosis.

Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s progressively affects the nerve cells within the brain, causing a lack of control in the hands and arms. This leads to difficulty maintaining good oral health and has been shown to lead to much higher levels of gum disease.

Sufferers may also be more prone to bruxism (teeth grinding) and be at much greater risk of developing TMJ disorders, tooth fractures and other resultant factors such as headache or earache.

This list of conditions stemming from from periodontal issues is by no means complete, other notable potential serious outcomes include fibromyalgia, HIV and prostate cancer as well as many others, so please be especially mindful of your dental care as it affects so much more than just your smile.

(05/27/2024)
by Life Dental & Wellbeing

More Information: https://www.lifedentalandwellbeing.co.uk/news/health-issues-that-stem-from-teeth/

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