A healthy mouth and healthy body go hand in hand. Good oral hygiene and oral health can improve your overall health, reducing the risk of serious diseases and possibly even preserving your memory in later years. The phrase healthy mouth, healthy you really is essential and backed by growing scientific evidence. Treating gum disease will not only help to improve your confidence, by reducing bad breath caused by decay, but treatment will also ensure you can concentrate without aching teeth or mouth infections to distract you. Treatment will lower your risk of heart disease.

Heart Disease and Stroke

Chronic inflammation from gum disease has also been associated with the development of cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease, blockages of blood vessels, and strokes. Experts have found a cause-and-effect relationship between gum disease and these other serious health problems.

• Those with adult periodontitis may have increased risk of stroke.
• Those with adult periodontitis may have increased risk of fatal heart attack.
• Periodontitis also increases chances of being diagnosed with cariovascular disease.
• Bacteria from the mouth may cause clotting problems in the cardiovascular system.

Dementia/Alzheimers

Also, adults with gingivitis (swollen, bleeding gums) performed worse on tests of memory and other cognitive skills than did those with healthier gums and mouths, according to a report in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. Those with gingivitis were more likely to perform poorly on two tests: delayed verbal recall and subtraction — both skills used in everyday life.

• The infection and inflammation of periodontal disease may be associated with cognitivie decline and dementia.

Respiratory Infections

• Inhaling bacteria from the mouth and throat can lead to pneumonia.
• Dental plaque buildup creates a dangerous source of bacteria that can be inhaled into the lungs.

Severe Osteopenia

Gum Disease has also been linked with the development of infection in other parts of the body. Research has found an association between gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints. Eating a balanced diet, seeing your dentist regularly, and good oral hygiene helps reduce your risks of tooth decay and gum disease. Make sure you brush twice a day and floss once a day. Using an acid reducing (pH neutral) mouthwash such as “restore” developed by Dr. Elisa Campbell or an electric toothbrush can also help reduce bacteria in the mouth that can cause gingivitis.

• Reduction in bone mass (osteopenia) is associated with gum disease and related tooth loss.
• Severity has been connected to tooth loss in post-menopausal women.

Pregnancy Complications

Women may experience increased gingivitis during pregnancy. Some research suggests a relationship between gum disease and preterm, low-birth-weight infants. Not all studies have found a solid link, but maintaining good oral health is still the best goal. If you’re pregnant please visit us as a part of your prenatal care.

• 50-70% of women will develop gingivitis some time during their pregnancy – a condition called pregnancy gingivitis.
• The increase of estrogen and progesterone levels during this time causes the gums to react differently to the bacteria in plaque. This reaction causes swelling, bleeding, redness or tenderness in the gum tissue.
  
  

Uncontrolled Diabetes

• Chronic periodontal disease can disrupt diabetic control
• Diabetes can alter the pocket environment, contributing to bacterial growth.
• Smokers with diabetes increase their risk of tooth loss by 20 times.
• People with type II diabetes are three times as likely to develop periodontal disease than are nondiabetics.