Your dental health affects more than just your smile. You may glance at dental health tips briefly but feel that they aren’t that important. After all, you brush and floss and see your dentist when you need to. Maybe you don’t go as often as is suggested, but if you have pain in your teeth or happen to remember how long it has been since your last dental cleaning, you go. Isn’t that enough? Why should you be so concerned about your dental health? As long as you have all your teeth, it seems like that should be enough. Let’s take a look at how the state of your teeth and mouth can affect so many other areas of your body. What’s at stake is more than a bright smile.
Heart Disease
The same bacteria that causes plaque on your teeth also causes the plaque that clogs the heart’s arteries and other blood vessels. When these blood vessels become clogged, your heart has to pump harder to get enough blood throughout your body. You may eventually find yourself experiencing high blood pressure or having a heart attack or stroke. There is also the chance of developing a fatal infection of the heart.
Diabetes Complications
Diabetes and your dental health are directly connected in a dance that seems endless. When you have diabetes, it increases your chances of dental problems. In turn, dental problems make diabetes more difficult to get under control. The two create a never-ending circle where each continues to get worse.
Brain Issues
Your dental health can affect your brain and result in memory loss and some forms of dementia. The bacteria in your mouth doesn’t have far to travel to reach your brain. As this infection spreads throughout your brain, it kills connections, causing memory issues, enhancing confusion, and generally making it difficult, if not impossible, to enjoy clear thinking.
Kidney Disease
Kidney disease can affect many different parts of your body. If the infection in your kidneys becomes too great, it can even result In death. When your dental health is poor, it causes your body to lower its defenses against other diseases. This can put a strain on your kidneys.
Lung Disease
Swallowing and breathing occur very near each other. When you experience bacteria in your mouth, you are in danger of inhaling that bacteria every time you breathe. As the bacteria makes its way into your lungs, it continues multiplying. In the end, you can suffer from things like bronchitis or pneumonia. The bacteria and resulting infection can also lead to COPD.
Erectile Dysfunction
An erection requires proper blood flow to the sexual organs. The plaque-producing bacteria that go along with poor dental health cause blood vessels to become clogged. The flow of blood is reduced to every area of the body. This lack of blood flow can prevent an erection.
Some Dental Health Tips
To help ensure your teeth are in the best shape possible, follow these dental health tips.
- Brush and floss at least twice a day
- Limit sugary foods and drinks
- Stop smoking and using tobacco products
- Eat a healthy diet
- See your dentist regularly
We Care About Your Health
Here at Lovett Dental Corpus Christi, we care about your dental health because were care about you and helping you stay healthy. Contact us today at 361-986-1117 to set up an appointment for an exam and cleaning and find out what you can do to increase your teeth and mouth’s health. We want to help keep your smile bright and your body healthy. Reach out and make that appointment today before you get busy and forget.