If you do not take adequate care of your teeth, your physical health might be in jeopardy. There are various ways of maintaining good oral hygiene such as brushing your teeth in the morning and after dinner, rinsing your mouth after your meals, and visiting your dentist regularly. Many people, unfortunately, do not stick with these basics, and consequently, develop other diseases.

If unattended, your tooth and gum issues might affect the other parts of your body. Research has proven that diseases of the gum can lead to diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory disease, and heart disease.

Gum disease and your physical health

Gum disease is one of the most common infections of the mouth. There is a connection between this disease and your overall health. Your mouth is one of the main orifices through which bacteria and viruses can enter your body. When there is chronic gum inflammation, bacteria, and other microbes enter your bloodstream and affect your internal organs like the heart severely.

Other studies point out the connection between diabetes and oral health. When you treat and control diabetes, your oral health improves. On the other hand, when you manage your periodontal disease, you need lesser insulin. Diabetes is a condition when there is a high sugar content in your bloodstream. Uncontrolled diabetes may lead to several life-threatening complications like kidney diseases. You can help to prevent these ailments by visiting one of the many dentistry clinics such as Best Dental.

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

This is a physical condition when there is pain, stiffness, and swelling in your joints. In this disease, you are unable to use your knees, elbows, wrists, and hands. There is an agonizing pain in these areas, and sometimes, this pain becomes too unbearable when there are flare-ups.

With proper treatment, it is possible to decrease the number of flare-ups and reduce your pain and prevent damage to your organs. If you think you have rheumatoid arthritis, consult your doctor immediately. Researchers have found out that the gum fluid of people infected with periodontitis mirrors the feeling of the inflamed joints. Visit your doctor if you have gum disease.

Bad oral hygiene and cancer

Studies have demonstrated a strong linkage between bad oral health and cancer. This disease can affect any part of your body, such as lungs, brain, pancreas, bone, blood, cervix, and kidneys. Sometimes, the cancer of one area can move to another area, thereby adding to its complexity. To prevent this, you can opt for teeth cleaning or get fillings done by dentists in avon lake ohio to prevent bar oral hygiene.

If detected early, cancer can be treated effectively. However, you need to have sufficient knowledge of the main symptoms of the various forms of cancer. The more common symptoms are wounds that take a long time to heal, discoloration of the skin, and so on. A Swedish research team has linked high teeth plaque levels to early cancer death.

How to maintain oral hygiene?

There are various ways to keep your gums and teeth healthy. Brush your teeth with fluoride-based toothpaste at least twice a day. Flossing your teeth at least once a day also helps in maintaining oral hygiene. Reduce your sugar intake and eat diets that are high in vegetables and fruits. Avoid smoking and drink fluoridated water and consult your dentist regularly.

Symptoms of bad oral health

So far, this article has discussed how poor oral hygiene can affect your physical health, but what are the main signs of degenerating oral health that you need to be looking out for?

Sensitivity

Sensitivity is an agonizing issue for many people when they cannot stand something that is either too hot or too cold, this is usually a minor issue that can be helped with the proper sensitive toothpaste, but you should always speak to your dentist if you are ever concerned about anything.

Pain

Pain in the mouth can come from many sources: fractured or cracked teeth, sensitivity, ulcers, or loose teeth, to name a few, and it is the first warning sign that the body can give to a potential problem. If there is any swelling that accompanies the pain, it could be an indication of an infection, which will need to be addressed immediately before it becomes a longer-term problem.

Receding gums

When gums recede, the root area of your teeth gets exposed. This is a serious case of bad oral health and if left untreated can cause teeth loss and other associated problems. Visit your dentist if your gums are receding. Please note that if any of the symptoms above are accompanied by swelling in the neck or face, visit your doctor immediately.

Summary

To summarize, oral health hygiene is connected to overall physical health. Various studies have shown that bad oral health can lead to serious and life-threatening diseases such as cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory diseases and even heart disease. Since the oral cavity leads to the internal organs, any oral inflammation can facilitate the entry of the harmful microbes in the body.