A growing body of research suggests that not brushing your teeth adequately or flossing properly can lead to a whole host of acute and chronic diseases.
"This is because the mouth is full of bacteria. Although most of them are harmless, some can cause disease," explains Dr Nigel Carter, from the Oral Health Foundation.
How oral bacteria affect general health is still not well understood, but some conditions are more related to oral health than others, according to experts, most notably:
1. Heart disease
If you have gum disease, you'll be up to three times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, according to several studies.
Gum disease, which causes gingivitis, is a widespread problem. This occurs when bacteria accumulate in and around the gums.
Things can take a turn for the worse when these bacteria seep into the bloodstream, causing hardening of the arteries.
This can make the heart have to work harder to pump blood around the body.
"If blood flow is badly affected, it could lead to a heart attack," warns Dr Nigel.
2. Pneumonia
Just minutes after you finish brushing your teeth, a sticky layer of bacteria, known as plaque, will begin to cover your teeth.
Research has shown that suspended plaque is capable of causing pneumonia, because the bacteria can be breathed in from the teeth and travel to the lungs, where it can cause infection.
Symptoms of pneumonia include a cough that may produce green, yellow, or even bloody mucus secretions, fever, sweating, chills, shortness of breath, sharp pain or a stabbing feeling in the chest, which gets worse when breathing deeply or coughing, along with loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue. .
3. Diabetes
This may seem like a bit of a strange link, however, studies have found a direct relationship between diabetes and gum disease.
In fact, gum disease is more common in diabetics and vice versa, because high blood sugar levels, which is a symptom of diabetes that cannot be controlled well, can stimulate the overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
These bacteria can lead to various types of infections in the mouth, which can lead to increased inflammation in the bloodstream, causing blood sugar levels to rise and making the condition more difficult to manage.
Common symptoms of diabetes include urinating more than usual, feeling thirsty all the time, feeling very tired, losing weight without trying, wounds that take longer to heal, and others.
4. Dementia
Flossing may be the key to staying healthy as you age, as a new study of 28,000 patients in Taiwan found that those who had chronic gum disease for more than a decade were 1.7 times more at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The most common form of dementia.
Scientists have found evidence of the presence of bacteria that cause gum disease in the brains of those who died of Alzheimer's disease.
Experts believe that toxins can move from the blood to the brain, where they cause long-term damage over time.
How does tooth decay affect heart health?
Tooth decay is considered one of the most widespread infectious diseases in the world, and untreated it leads to serious health consequences, including inflammation of the heart tissue.
According to dentist Yelena Martynova, tooth decay helps the spread of a complex group of bacteria, and it is not possible to diagnose the disease early due to its slow development in its early stages.
She says: “Untreated tooth decay leads to damage to tooth tissue, inflammation of the nerve, and the formation of a cyst around the root. It can cause sinusitis and osteomyelitis. Streptococci are the main cause of tooth decay. They also cause recurrent sore throat, otitis media, and relapse.” "Acute respiratory infections. When these bacteria enter the bloodstream, they can cause inflammation of the heart and joint tissues."
The doctor points out other problems related to dental health, including the problem of multiple missing teeth that prevent food from being chewed properly, which may cause stomach and liver diseases, and changing the position of wisdom teeth can harm neighboring teeth and lead to irreversible changes in the temporomandibular joint. .