You know you take great care of your health, exercising regularly and eating well, and you never miss your annual checkups with your doctor in Newcastle. But are you so careful with your dental health? If you aren’t, then you could be undermining all your hard work because your dental health is very closely connected to your general health. Numerous clinical studies have established a clear link between general or systemic health and oral health.

It’s very easy to think about your body as being a collection of separate parts but your entire body is closely connected with the pathways that carry blood, oxygen and of course, disease from one part to another and from organ to organ. These interlinking pathways can facilitate the spread of disease because for example, the presence of gum disease in your mouth can increase the levels of inflammation in the rest of your body. In fact, periodontal disease is a major cause for concern and it’s a bacterial infection that frequently develops because of poor oral hygiene.

How Gum Disease Increases Your Risk of Other Diseases


Your mouth contains many hundreds of species of bacteria, most of which are harmless, and they thrive in the oxygen-poor and nutrient-rich environment. When you fail to take care of your dental health, oral bacteria can accumulate to such an extent that they will cause oral infections that include tooth decay and gum disease. Studies have suggested that the harmful strains of oral bacteria associated with periodontal disease are also linked with other serious health problems including diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Currently, it’s not quite clear as to how gum disease affects overall health. However, it is thought that when you have periodontal disease then it can worsen existing health problems or could potentially increase the risk of them developing. The connection between all these diseases is inflammation.

What Happens When You Fail to Brush and Floss?


When you fail to brush and floss thoroughly, the bacteria that build up in your mouth will begin to infect your gums. Naturally, your body’s immune system will try to fight this infection, but this produces inflammation. Unfortunately, inflamed gums are quite fragile and one of the first signs of gum disease in Bowmanville is noticing blood on your toothbrush or after you have flossed. When your gums bleed, it allows bacteria from your mouth to get straight into your bloodstream and from there they can travel anywhere in your body. Once inside your bloodstream there is the risk that these bacteria could cause new sites of inflammation. For example, if you are diabetic, this inflammation could make it harder to control your glucose levels. Gum disease is a common problem amongst adults in Canada and it’s easy to overlook the initial symptoms. Without treatment, it can cause tooth loss and could adversely affect your general health.

Now for the Good News!


With the right preventative dental care then you can maintain a healthy mouth, protecting your smile and your general health. It’s one of the major reasons why we strongly encourage regular dental checkups and cleanings with our Clarington dentist. At every dental checkup we will closely monitor the condition of your gums, carefully assessing them for any signs of gum disease. The really good news is that early gum disease is very treatable and completely reversible. Treatment may simply be a matter of professionally cleaning your teeth and our friendly dental team here at West Bowmanville Family Dental can provide customized advice on how to improve your brushing and flossing routine. To make things even more attractive, good preventative dental care is more cost-effective in the longer term and you are less likely to need an emergency dentist in Newcastle.

If you haven’t seen a dentist in Courtice for a while, then why not pick up the phone and book an appointment? You’ll be doing something really nice for your mouth and your body!