Oral health enables nutrition and interferes with every aspect of our health as it signals various underlying health issues present in your body. Proper oral care helps you stay away from several dental problems like tooth decay, gum bleeding, bad breath and dry mouth etc. Improper oral care can often cause tooth problems that can have an adverse effect on other body organs too.        

The common causes of dental issues include:

●       Poor dental health and hygiene

●       Trauma

●       Underlying overall health conditions

●       Underlying oral conditions

Your teeth signal a lot about your overall health, such as:

●       Flat or worn teeth can be a sign of stress and anxiety.

●       Cracking or crumbling teeth are known to be a sign of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

●       Sores are one of the most common symptoms of oral cancer.

●       Growing gums are the signs of medication problems that control the immune system.

●       Dry mouth can be a warning sign of autoimmune diseases or diabetics.

●       White webbing cheeks are known to be the symptom for mild skin disorders.

●       Crusting dentures is a warning sign of aspiration pneumonia.

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Organs affected by tooth Issues 

Oral care is not meant for your teeth or gums, as it can improve your overall body health. Several dental problems can affect the rest of your body. However, here are some dental issues that can cause severe health problems:

Heart:       

Tooth decay occurs due to bacteria. The bacteria build up in the mouth attacks your teeth and gums and cause your gums to bleed, thus enter into the bloodstreams. The bacteria travel to all other body parts through blood vessels and affect other body organs such as the heart, lungs and liver.

The inflammation and infection caused by these bacteria can comes up with several cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke.       Lungs:

The bacteria build up in your mouth enters into blood vessels and reaches the lungs and damage it gradually. This unbrushed bacteria causes several lung problems such as:

●       Respiratory infections

●       Pneumonia

●       Acute bronchitis

●       Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease  

Brain:

The bacteria build up in your mouth enters into blood vessels and reaches brain and nerve cells and causes several diseases, such as:

●       Short-term memory loss

●       Dementia

●       Alzheimer’s disease

Other Health Problems Caused by Dental Issues:

The following are the other health conditions caused by dental issues:

Dental Issues and Diabetes:  

Gum diseases are frequent in diabetic patients. It weakens the body’s ability to maintain blood sugar. It makes diabetes more complicated as the person loses his ability to control or remove sugar from his blood. It also keeps your mouth at risk of developing infections that can cause gum inflammation.  

Dental Issues and Pregnancy: 

Gum Disease also causes premature or low birth weight deliveries. They make pregnancy riskier for women as infection and inflammation caused by periodontitis can interfere with a fetus’ development in the womb.    

Dental Issues and Osteoporosis

Women with gum diseases are more likely to suffer osteoporosis than others. Periodontitis is another dental issue that can cause rheumatoid arthritis and weaken bone in other joints as well.  

How to Protect Your Teeth?

The best way to protect your health is to maintain good oral hygiene, such as:

●       Brush your teeth using fluoride toothpaste

●       Floss regularly after the meals

●       Consider a healthy diet

●       Avoid snacks in between meals

●       Replace toothbrush every 3-4 times a year

●       Consider regular dental checkups

●       Avoid smoking

Conclusion:

Take care of your oral health because it indicates a lot about your overall health. Maintaining good oral hygiene help you to stay away from serious health problems. However, it is always good to schedule regular appointments with your dentists to avoid health problems caused by poor oral health.