What medical conditions can affect oral health?

Your oral health denotes more than just the condition of your teeth and gums. It is a window to your overall well-being. The relationship of dental health with other conditions in your body is two-way. Your oral health can cause other medical conditions that can hamper your overall well-being.

Many of us might think of our body and oral health as two different battlegrounds, but you would be surprised how incredibly connected both of them are. Your mouth teems with bacteria which are mostly harmless. But your mouth is also the entry point to your respiratory and digestive systems. So the bacteria in your mouth can affect these systems too.

Here we will find out what medical conditions can be responsible for our dental well-being and also find out some of the diseases that oral health might induce in our bodies.

Medical Conditions that can Impact Our Oral Health

Below are some common health problems that can affect our oral condition. 

• Acid reflux – GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a very common disease in which acid from your stomach travels back to the esophagus. GERD does not just cause pain, but some of the stomach acids might move up to your mouth, which can erode your enamel, and your teeth (especially molars) are left more vulnerable to decay.
• Diabetes – Diabetes affects dental health in many ways. If diabetes is not well-controlled by medications, it can lead to periodontitis, an infection of gums and bones that results in tooth decay or loss. Diabetes also increases glucose levels in saliva, allowing bacteria in the mouth to thrive. This eventually means more plaque and tartar buildup and increased opportunities for cavity formation.
• Thyroid disorders – If you have hyper or hypothyroidism, you are more prone to oral health issues. Our thyroid gland produces a hormone called thyroxine which regulates our metabolism. If our thyroid is over or underactive, it influences our bodies’ response to bacteria, leading to fast-moving tooth decay and gum inflammation.
• Eating disorders – Eating disorders (such as bulimia or anorexia) don’t just wreak havoc on our bodies but also give rise to oral health problems. If your body does not get the nutrition it needs, you will not have enough minerals to support your teeth and gums. You can also develop sores and lesions in your mouth. When you constantly vomit due to bulimia, your teeth come in contact with corrosive and damaging stomach acids that can erode enamels and make it easy for cavities to develop, and decay spreads faster. Compulsive eating can also contribute to oral damage as more foods pass through our mouth, which means more chances of plaque and tartar accumulation.
• Hormonal changes – For women, hormonal changes are part of all stages of their lives. During puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, hormonal changes affect the chemistry in our mouths, altering our saliva’s pH level. 
  • Pregnancy – Women’s gums can swell and bleed easily during pregnancy, making brushing difficult and letting plaque stay in the mouth. Even vomiting due to morning sickness can cause stomach acids to erode enamel.
  • Menopause – The estrogen level drops rapidly during menopause which can cause dry mouth, which can extremely impact oral condition (explained below).
• Bruxism or teeth grinding- Teeth grinding is not an ailment as such, but clenching your jaw often can wear down teeth and cause cracks. With such structural damage to the enamel, your mouth opens doors to cavities-causing bacteria.
• Osteoporosis – This disease weakens our bones and has been linked with periodontal bone and tooth loss. Some of the medications people take for osteoporosis have a small risk of damaging the jaw bone.
• Xerostomia or dry mouth- Our saliva is our natural and greatest defense against cavities. While awake, our mouths constantly produce saliva, which neutralizes bacteria and moistens our mouths. During sleep, saliva production reduces, and we can immediately detect the effect of bacterial growth in our morning breath. If we cannot produce enough saliva, we lose the capacity to protect our teeth against bacteria. Xerostomia is, in general, a side effect of certain medications for chronic conditions. 
• HIV or AIDS- People who have AIDS also develop painful mucosal lesions.
• Alzheimer’s disease- As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, patients commonly develop oral issues that worsen with time.

If you suffer from any of these issues, you must speak to your dentist to understand if your oral health is impacted and the best way to prevent cavities. Your dentist can identify many preventive treatments to reduce the risk.