Our oral health is highly imperative to achieve general health.
Let’s suppose, you are suffering from pain in your joints. Doctors are unable to find its apparent reason. Suddenly they ask you to go for a detailed check-up by a dentist. It would seem like absurd advice. At the end of the check-up, you may get to know from your dentist that you are having arthritis due to not taking care of your teeth.
Another scenario that is possible is having a reoccurrence of infections, either throat or lower respiratory tract. You expect your doctor to be a pulmonologist but you end up getting diagnosed by a dentist.
Yes, you got your diagnosis right. Your respiratory health complications are also linked with your dental health conditions.
Osteoporosis may have another pathology yet it is linked to poor dental hygiene.
The complications of poor oral health care, do not end here. Dozens of diseases are either caused by dental infections or get worst due to these infections.
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| Your toothbrush follows your whole day. |
Risk factors for serious non-communicable diseases
As per different studies conducted by WHO, it is evident that conditions associated with poor dental health such as overuse of tobacco, availability of free sugars, and carelessness regarding dental care, contribute as a considerable risk factor for serious non-communicable diseases such as cancers, COPD, strokes, and diabetes.
There are higher chances of catching up such diseases if oral hygiene is not being taken care of.
List of diseases associated with substandard oral hygiene
Poor dental hygiene is not only linked with gum diseases or tooth decay. It is also linked with several illnesses that can cause serious health complications. The list of diseases associated with dental health is as follows,
Gum diseases
Decreased saliva production
Cardiovascular diseases
Respiratory tract disorders
Dementia and brain disorders
Cancers
Autoimmune disorders
Reproductive and pregnancy complications
Kidney failure
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Gum diseases
The first complication that can be induced due to poor dental hygiene, is infection and inflammation in the oral cavity. Tooth decay, gingivitis ( inflammation of gum tissues) and plaques are the most common examples of oral cavity infection.
Another common condition that makes the personality of a person less attractive is halitosis. An unpleasant odor coming from the mouth leaves a negative impression. The release of hydrogen sulfide makes the oral cavity highly susceptible to several sinister diseases.
Decreased saliva production
The acid produced due to the conversion of free sugars is highly unsafe for teeth. It makes them sensitive. Saliva helps neutralize that acid. It also helps food intake by creating a moist environment.
The use of antibiotics and other medicines can cause the production of saliva to be decreased. This situation in turn causes dry mouth and dry eyes.
Saliva is helpful for many reasons. If it is not produced as required by the body, it can lead to the reoccurrence of infections, plaque formation, and tooth decay.
Cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases caused by poor oral health are of two types as follows,
- Heart strokes
- Endocarditis
Our oral cavity is always full of microbes, especially bacteria. These bacteria can travel from one organ to the other. They can enter the bloodstream. When oral hygiene is poor, bacteria habitating there move to infect the inner lining of the heart. That lining is called the endocardium. Those bacteria cause a complication namely endocarditis. Leaving it without giving any attention can leave effects.
People with poor oral health are more prone to get the cardiovascular disease because bacteria are attached to specific areas of the heart.
Another condition that is caused by these microbes is atherosclerosis in which arteries are clogged hampering blood flow. A higher risk of getting heart strokes in such people is due to blockage of the carotid artery.
Respiratory tract disorders
The oral cavity is the opening for all systems in particular the digestive and respiratory systems. All microbes and antigens can come through this route. They can easily enter our other systems.
People living with poor health conditions and not practicing dental care routines, come across respiratory illnesses more often than people who do follow oral hygiene practices. Many of the microbes reside in the oral cavity and make the respiratory tract sensitive due to cilia inactivity.
The common problems caused by poor oral health and unhealthy practices are as follows,
- Bronchitis
- Pneumonia
- COPD
- Asthma
Cancers
The obvious risk factors associated with cancer are tobacco and alcohol consumption. These can affect teeth and then cancer.
Another reason for increasing chances of getting cancer is consistent and chronic inflammation. This is caused by an infection in the gums and oral cavity. Uncontrolled gingivitis leads to an inflammatory state and eventually cancer.
The most common types of cancer caused by poor oral hygiene are as follows,
- Pancreatic cancer
- Renal cancer
- Blood cancer
- Mouth cancer
- Esophageal cancer
Dementia and brain disorders
As already mentioned above, bacteria residing in the oral cavity and hiding in plaques can enter the bloodstream. Later on, they move to different organs causing respective symptoms. The same happens with brain cells as well. Brain cells called Neurons are delicate and sensitive to poor oral hygiene.
Other serious complications associated are memory problems like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Any disruption of the nervous system, due to gingivitis and bacterial infiltration causes brain cells to die. . That person goes through nervous system symptoms and in particular dementia.
Autoimmune disorders
As per recent studies, plenty of autoimmune disorders are being triggered by poor oral health. Consistent inflammation causes the immune system to be hyperactive. In the end, the immune system starts reacting to its cells.
The most common examples of autoimmune condition caused by oral health are as follow,
- Diabetes
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Thyroiditis
- Sjogren’s syndrome
It is reported that people with periodontal infections face a lot more difficulties in controlling their blood sugar than normal diabetic patients.
Moreover, free sugars available in the oral cavity also cause them to fall sick.
RA is now becoming so common after the root canal process and dental health conditions.
Dry mouth and dry eyes caused by decreased saliva production, contribute to triggering Sjogren’s syndrome. That person needs to take external help for keeping his mouth and eyes moist.
Reproductive and pregnancy complications
People may have difficulty conceiving if they are already having from dental diseases i.e. periodontal infection.
If somehow they conceive a baby, the next problem they may face is maintaining the pregnancy. There are already many changes in hormones during the gestation period. If the expectant person has gum and teeth issues, she may have poor or no growth of newborn and underdeveloped relative health conditions.
Such a person can have a problem maintaining the weight of the baby.
The most common complications in this regard are untimely births and low birth weights. That child may be immunocompromised in his/ her later stages of life.
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| Be a responsible and happy parent. |
Kidney failures
Every one of us is well aware of the importance of kidneys in our body. Anything that can affect our kidneys can make us sick in the long run. There are many complications of kidney transplants. The transplant itself is a worrisome job.
A weak immune system due to infections in the oral cavity causes other organs especially kidneys to be more sensitive. Once kidneys become sensitive, they may lead to health problems in other organs as well such as the cardiovascular system.
The most severe kidney infections lead to kidney failure. It can be complicated if not controlled in earlier stages.
Take home message
It is clear from this detailed write-up that dental issues and dental hygiene are not only linked with poor oral health. It makes a person sick affecting his whole body.
Fortunately, most of the complications caused are preventable and controllable by proper diagnosis and preventive strategies.
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Consider this little thing your companion.
Candid dialogue
It is not us who take care of our teeth. These are our teeth that help us by not making us sick.
You can read out the episodes related to this topic by clicking on the tag Importance of oral Cavities and dental health.
https://microbiologistsidra.blogspot.com/2022/08/what-is-oral-health-and-what-diseases.html.
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