Why Gum Disease Can Damage Your Health

Initially, if your dentist tells you that you have gum disease, it might not sound too bad, as after all it’s not like having a cavity or toothache. Surely gums can recover, can’t they?

In fact, gum disease can be extremely serious and even though outwardly it may not cause any damage to your teeth, it’s the most common reason why teeth are lost, not just here in the United States but worldwide.

Unfortunately, gums that have become badly infected with gum disease, a condition called periodontal disease, can be very badly damaged. What is equally alarming is the way periodontal disease can damage your health.

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is also called periodontal disease or periodontitis and it is a bacterial infection. Everybody’s mouth has bacteria, some of which are harmful while others are benign. Normally bacterial levels are controlled through regular oral hygiene, as every time you brush and floss your teeth, or your tongue, you are helping to remove bacteria.

Periodontal disease normally develops as a result of poor oral hygiene which allows bacterial numbers to escalate to such an extent that it causes a severe infection your body’s immune system will no longer be able to fight.

So, how does this infection affect your gums?

How Periodontal Disease Destroys Your Gums

As bacteria builds up over the surface of your teeth in a sticky layer called a plaque biofilm, they produce toxins that infect your gums. After just a couple of days this plaque biofilm can harden into calculus. This is the substance that is normally scraped off during a professional cleaning as it is extremely hard.

All the time it remains on your teeth it is producing toxins. As these toxins infect your gums they cause an inflammatory response because your body will try to fight the infection. At this stage you may notice your gums have begun to bleed. It’s more likely that they will appear red and swollen, and if you gently press them, they could feel tender.

Gum Recession

The infection and inflammation also causes your gum tissue to begin receding, gradually pulling away from your teeth and creating what are called periodontal pockets. These are gaps in between your teeth and gums.

These create the perfect conditions for bacteria to multiply. Periodontal pockets can become quite deep, meaning they are very difficult to keep clean. All the time the bacteria in these pockets will be destroying your gums, as well as the ligaments holding your teeth in their sockets.

Eventually, the bacteria will even begin to destroy the bony sockets themselves, causing the teeth to become loose. By this stage it easy to see that gum disease is definitely something you don’t want to develop and compared to a cavity or toothache, it might even seem preferable.

So, how can gum disease affect your health?

Why Gum Disease Can Negatively Impact Your Health

It might seem strange that gum disease can affect your general health, but it is a bacterial infection that creates inflammation. This inflammation can damage your general health.

As your gums become diseased and fragile they begin to bleed more easily, bacteria in your mouth can get into the gums, entering straight into your bloodstream. Blood is continually circulating right around your body, potentially carrying these bacteria far away from the original sites of infection.

This can greatly affect your general health, particularly if you have any existing health problems such as diabetes or heart disease. The presence of these bacteria in your bloodstream can worsen these conditions.

Alternatively, it may increase your chances of developing them. There’s been a considerable amount of research into periodontal disease and its connection with other health conditions. Researchers aren’t quite sure as to how periodontal disease impacts general health but it’s quite clear the link is there. If you care about your general health, it’s well worth looking after your dental health.

Around Half of the Adult Population in the US Will Develop Gum Disease

This is a shocking statistic as it’s estimated gum disease will affect around half of the US adult population to some degree or other, even if it’s only very mild gum disease.

However, you don’t need to become a statistic, as gum disease is a preventable condition. All you have to do is to practice good oral hygiene and to make sure you see a great dentist at regular intervals for a checkup.

Avoid Gum Disease with Your Six Monthly Checkups

This is an incredibly easy way to maintain good dental health and most healthy adults will only need to see a dentist every six months. During your checkup, a dentist will check the condition of every single tooth and of course they will fully assess your gum health.

Your dentist will make sure your gums aren’t infected or receding. If they detect any small signs of gum disease, early treatment can completely eradicate this condition. This isn’t always possible if gum disease is allowed to progress as it can become chronic.

Don’t Forget to Book Your Hygiene Appointment

Hygiene appointments are extremely important and this is another area where a dentist can help you. By having your teeth regularly scaled and polished, your gums have a much better chance of staying strong and healthy.

Your hygiene appointment is also a good chance to chat to about your dental care at home. Many people don’t realize that hygienists are able to help patients improve brushing and flossing techniques.

It’s well worth asking for some help if you struggle with brushing or in particular with flossing, or if you’d just like to learn how to brush more thoroughly.

Regular Dental Checkups Can Lower Your Medical Bills

By making sure you have regular dental checkups and hygiene appointments, you can protect your general health. This in turn could lead to lower medical bills and of course you have the confidence that comes from knowing you have a smile that is healthy and well maintained.

Your mouth is an open window to the rest of your body so why take any chances with your dental or your general health when good oral care is easy to maintain? If you are overdue for your checkup, call today and schedule an appointment.