Dental hygiene is often easily looked-over as most of its problems are not evident anywhere but inside your mouth. However, according to Susan Karabin, DDS, “Gum disease produces a bleeding, infected wound that’s the equivalent in size to the palms of both your hands.”
If one were to develop a serious infection on a limb outside the body, they would be hospitalized immediately. Mouth infections seem to be deemed as less-important, although that is not the truth. Karabin said that mouth infections are easier to ignore because they are out of sight and, therefore, more difficult to feel the effects of the disease in day-to-day life.
Dental Carelessness Can Lead to Diabetes
Approximately one-third of people who have diabetes don’t know it, and many of those diabetes cases are, in fact, diagnosed from the dentist chair. When dental health standards are lowered, infections develop and the body has trouble producing insulin, making blood sugar more difficult to control. If diabetes is uncontrolled, however, it can be harder to control gum disease. Taking care of your teeth ultimately results in better health throughout your body.
The Link Between Other Health Problems and Oral Health
- Osteoporosis is the weakening of bones due to deficiencies in the body. When osteoporosis develops, it also affects the teeth and mouth because teeth are essentially bones.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis can cause periodontal disease, according to a study released in June 2008. Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis are more likely to develop periodontal disease, which is an inflammatory disease, just as Rheumatoid Arthritis is, as well.
- Premature Birth is common among women who have developed gum disease. For those who want to reduce the risk of premature birth, treat gum disease early as the risk of giving birth prematurely lowers significantly.
Visit your dentist as often as possible to ensure early treatment of oral health disease that might have a big impact on your health.