According to a couple of studies and researches, the state of your mouth actually determines the real state of your body. Doctors and experts have been talking about how stress can actually lead you to develop cardiovascular problems. However, your mouth could actually be giving out the warning signs.
Below are some of the subjects concerning the relationship of oral health and the rest of the body:
Cardiovascular System
Just some of the research topics which experts have explored lately include that of having gum diseases increases the likelihood of a person to have heart disease and stroke. While this contention still requires more studies in order to really cement the connection, one angle which experts are eyeing is how bacteria can enter the general circulation through the gums.
When a person has gingivitis or any kind of gum disease, you’re essentially saying that such person has an infection of the gums. Experts are contending that the bacteria colonizing these gingival tissues could find their way to the main arteries and cause a systemic infection which can include vital organs such as the heart. On the other hand, the bacteria can also lead to thrombus formation, or blood clot formation, as well as plaque formation which both contribute to a compromised vascular system.
Pregnancy
Another well explored subject of the mouth and body connection is that pregnant women are more likely to have gum disease because of the increase in the levels of progesterone in their blood. This leads to increased delivery of blood to the gums, giving the appearance of swollen and tender gums. The fragile state of their gums make them prone to gum infections even with slight accumulations of plaque.
A more serious complication of pregnancy gingivitis is that women with this condition are more likely to give birth to preterm or low birth weight babies. With such serious complications, pregnant women are advised to seek dental care throughout their pregnancy and to take double care of their dental health through a strict dental hygiene regimen.
Blood Sugar
People with diabetes mellitus are more likely to have gum infections compared to those who do not. But the link actually works both ways according to other studies. The reason for why gingivitis and other gum diseases persist in individuals with diabetes is because of the high levels of glucose which motivate the proliferation of bacteria and cause the gum infection to persist.
Image Courtesy Pinterest
