Do you go to the gym, try to eat a healthy balanced diet and drink plenty of water?
Do you look after your oral health?
New evidence confirms what dental professionals have suspected for a long time; that infections in the mouth can be linked to other problems in the body, such as heart disease and the risk of stroke, diabetes, premature or low-birth-weight babies and respiratory (lung) disease.
Looking after your heart through good oral hygiene
People with gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery (heart) disease. Gum disease encourages bacteria in the mouth to enter the bloodstream, causing damage to the heart valves or creating blood clots. These blood clots can reduce the normal blood flow and restrict the amount of nutrients and oxygen circulating the body, leading to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
Are diabetics are more prone to gum disease?
People with diabetes are more likely to suffer with gum disease, due to an increase in your blood sugar level. It can also make your mouth more prone to infection, and affect your ability to heal from infection due to a reduced immune response.
Could gum disease affect my unborn baby?
Pregnant women with gum disease are three times more likely to have a premature or low-birth-weight baby.
It is thought that gum disease raises the levels of the chemicals in the blood that bring on labour. Evidence also suggests that women whose gum disease gets worse during pregnancy, have an even higher risk of having a premature baby.
Having gum disease treated properly during pregnancy can reduce the risk of premature birth. Pregnant women are advised to maintain their regular appointments with the dentist and hygienist, and maintain a good oral hygiene regime throughout their pregnancy.
What are the symptoms of gum disease?
- Inflammation of the gums – they may become tender, red and swollen, and bleed easily when brushing.
- An unpleasant taste in the mouth.
- Bad breath.
- Loose teeth.
- Regular mouth infections.
Always visit your dental team if you experience any of the above symptoms.
How can I help to stop my gum disease getting worse?
If you have gum disease, your hygienist will thoroughly clean your teeth to remove any tartar or plaque. This may take a number of sessions.
They will also show you how to remove the soft plaque yourself, to stop it coming back. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria which forms on the teeth every day, and hardens into tartar making it more difficult to remove.
By following a good home-care regime, you can slow down the progression of gum disease or stop it altogether. You must make sure you remove the build up of plaque every day and attend for routine dental and hygienist appointments as recommended.
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