Discover The Link Between Oral Hygiene and Heart Health

It’s common to think of keeping a bright smile as an aesthetic choice, but what if your dental hygiene habits are also influencing the health of your heart?

A surprising link between the health of your cardiovascular system and the state of your teeth and gums has been discovered by a recent study.

The link between oral hygiene and heart health is far more complex than meets the eye, since what happens inside your mouth may have major effects on your whole body.

This article will discuss the science underlying oral bacteria and heart disease, how poor dental care can cause more than just cavities, and what you can do to save your heart and smile.

What Kind of Health Problems Are Caused by Poor Oral Health?

In recent years, there has been significant evidence of the link between oral hygiene and heart health. Poor oral hygiene has been linked to an increased risk of getting disorders like:

• Cardiovascular disease: Heart disease can develop when oral bacteria from the mouth harden the arteries and enter the circulation.
• Diabetes: There is evidence linking diabetes to dental health. Poor dental hygiene-induced periodontal disease can affect blood sugar regulation and raise a person’s chance of getting diabetes.
• Stroke: Similar to cardiovascular disease, the bacteria can lead to blood clots and hardened arteries, which stop blood flow to the brain.
• Respiratory problems: These can include respiratory infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD, and more, and they may develop when oral bacteria are breathed into the lungs or enter the bloodstream.
• Dementia: Memory loss and dementia can result from germs from bad dental hygiene that enter the mouth and damage brain cells.
• High-risk pregnancy: Bacteria can enter the body and end up in the placenta or amniotic fluid, which can result in an early birth.
• Cancer: Research has shown that bacterial exposure increases the risk of oral cancer and several other cancers in patients with gum disease.

The Link Between Oral Hygiene and Heart Health

The spread of bacteria and other germs from the mouth to other areas of the body through the bloodstream is the link between oral hygiene and heart health. These bacteria can stick to any injured spot and induce inflammation once they get to the heart. Diseases like endocarditis, an infection of the heart’s inner lining, could result from this. According to the American Heart Association, inflammation brought on by oral bacteria has also been connected to other cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) and stroke.

Bacteria and your heart

As per the World Health Organization, the majority of oral diseases and conditions share modifiable risk factors with the major noncommunicable conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic respiratory diseases.

A high level of harmful bacteria can result in oral infections, which can lead to periodontal disease and other diseases, including inflammation of the bone and gums supporting the teeth.

The elevated bacteria enter the circulation and attach to the heart, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage.

This is essentially how poor oral health raises the risk of heart disease, causing the link between oral hygiene and heart health.

Shared risk factors of dental health and heart disease

To lower the risks to your heart and oral health, you should steer clear of some common problems. Making lifestyle adjustments will improve your general well-being. It goes without saying that excessive drinking and smoking are bad for your health.

While alcohol raises the amount of sugar and acid in your mouth, which causes enamel erosion and other problems, smoking can cause gum disease, oral cancer, and other oral health problems.

Symptoms and Warning Signs

If you experience any of these signs for long periods, you need to pay the dentist a visit to check on your dental health:

• Your gums feel sore to the touch, swollen, and red.
• When you brush, floss, or eat, your gums bleed.
• Around the teeth and gums, you notice pus or other indications of infection.
• It appears as though your gums are “pulling away” from your teeth.
• You notice an unpleasant taste in your mouth or have poor breath regularly.
• You feel as though some of your teeth are shifting away from the others, or they are loose.

How Do You Take Care of Your Oral Health?

Thankfully, you may avoid future health issues and maintain good dental health by following a detailed oral care routine, including:

• Use fluoride toothpaste when brushing your teeth. Also, spend at least two minutes twice a day brushing and scraping your tongue.
• Floss every day to help get rid of food particles and plaque that a toothbrush cannot reach between your teeth.
• Every day, rinse your mouth with an antimicrobial mouthwash.
• To identify any possible problems early, schedule routine examinations and cleanings with your dentist twice a year.
• Consume a diet that is well-balanced and low in sugar.
• Steer clear of tobacco products.

Conclusion

Maintaining good oral health is essential to your general well-being and goes well beyond simply keeping your teeth white and your breath fresh.

One fact sticks out when studies reveal more and more unexpected connections between the body: your mouth state could indicate your heart condition.

The bacteria that grow in poor oral conditions might affect your essential organs, particularly your heart, by entering your bloodstream and spreading beyond your gums.

The link between oral hygiene and heart health is evident, so caring for your smile might just be one of the best things you can do for your heart.

Read More: The Connection Between Gum Health and Heart Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the mouth connected to the heart?

Recent studies show a strong link between heart and dental health. Cardiovascular heart disease and its consequences are more common in patients with periodontal gum disease.

How are teeth connected to the heart?

A particular tooth and the heart are not directly connected, even though the human body is a complicated system with numerous connections between organs and systems. It is crucial to remember, though, that dental health may affect cardiovascular health as well as general health.

What do your teeth say about your heart?

According to studies, the same bacteria that cause heart blockages also cause oral plaque, suggesting that oral plaque directly contributes to some heart attacks. Compared to people without gingivitis, those who have it are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack.