How can poor oral health affect the rest of the body?

People often think that oral health is just about the mouth. However, it is not the case because your oral health also affects the rest of the body. It is vital to understand that to keep your overall health in check; you must take care of your dental routine. Keeping your teeth clean requires more than just selecting a good toothpaste. 

Many factors can contribute to poor oral health, and if not prevented in time, it can also affect other body parts. Carelessness towards the oral care routine is one of the most common reasons, apart from internal factors hampering your teeth. 

The condition of your teeth, gums, and overall mouth says a lot about your physical health. Therefore, it is vital to understand the connection between oral health and how or why it affects the rest of the body.

How are oral health and overall body health related?

The mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria. While many good bacterias are there for a reason and are of no threat, the harmful bacteria sometimes create multiple dental issues. Though brushing, flossing, and cleaning your tongue can keep these germs at bay but not always.

Sometimes other bodily factors also influence your oral health condition. For example, it can lead to abnormal bacteria balance in your mouth, leading to poor oral hygiene like bad breath, cavities, tooth decay, swollen or bleeding gums, and more. When the balance of good and bad bacteria in your mouth goes off balance, it makes you prone to many chronic diseases. 

In addition, many germs can also reduce the saliva production in your mouth, which works as a natural barrier to protect you from many diseases. That is how oral health and the rest of your health are correlated. 

Health issues that may be caused by poor oral health

A few things can happen to the rest of our bodies due to bad oral health. Here are a few diseases and health conditions that happen due to poor oral hygiene:

• Gum diseases can cause heart health issues and Endocarditis (inflammation):  Endocarditis is also called high inflammation in the body, especially around your chest. When a lot of bacteria enter your bloodstream through your mouth, it can cause Endocarditis. And one of its main reasons is poor oral health. If you are suffering from any dental disease, for example, periodontitis, it can lead to heart issues and inflammation in the body, disrupting other bodily functions like digestion. 
• Poor oral health can cause dementia: Some studies suggest that severe dental issues can lead to dementia. In many cases, inflamed gums can release germs and harmful substances that affect our brain cells, resulting in slow brain processing or memory loss. Additionally, gum disease causes inflammation in the brain cells, which increases beta-amyloid plaque formation.
• Neglecting your oral health can lead to Arthritis: The main reason people with poor dental care routines or gum disease are at a higher risk of arthritis is the increased inflammation. With the high amount of bacteria and other germs, the increased inflammation in the body can directly impact healthy cells leading to rheumatoid arthritis.

Now that you know poor dental hygiene is not only limited to your mouth but can also affect the rest of your body parts like the heart, brain, joints, etc., you must take care of your teeth properly. It is easy to maintain a trouble-free yet effective dental care routine. Just remember to floss daily, use toothpaste with fluoride, brush at least twice a day, and visit your dentist often.