Did you know that by taking care of your teeth, you not only improve your image and boast a beautiful smile, but also take care of your entire body. Dental diseases, old fillings, poorly filled tooth canals, inflammation and bacteria in the nooks and crannies that we cannot reach without taking care of proper tooth brushing may cause more or less serious diseases of the entire body, such as: acne, headaches, nephritis, joints, coronary heart disease, heart attack, respiratory infections, peptic ulcer disease, cystitis, high-risk pregnancy, cancer and even blindness.
The bacteria in our body like to hide in the nooks and crannies of our mouth. Dental plaque, tartar, pockets in the gums, crowns or bridges and, above all, cavities are an ideal place for them to develop. If they are in the mouth, we can prevent their development by careful brushing, flossing and rinsing, as well as professional hygiene treatments. Unfortunately, it often happens that bacteria from the oral cavity travel deep into the body, causing inflammation that can lead to serious diseases. Check what diseases you can avoid by taking care of your teeth:
Acne
The causes of acne are most often found in hormonal changes, but they may be caused by untreated teeth. If you have been trying to get rid of acne for a long time and all dermatological treatments do not bring results, see a dentist. If there is an active inflammation in the tooth, it may cause skin problems.
Chronic headaches
People who often suffer from headaches self-diagnose migraines or blame their condition on low blood pressure and the weather. Meanwhile, chronic headache may be a sign of inflammation in the oral cavity. Similarly, if we do not take care of our teeth and as a result we lose them, one of the consequences may be headaches. Therefore, in order not to be exposed to them, we should take care of our oral hygiene and instead of taking another painkiller, we should go for a check-up at the dentist.
Nephritis
The task of the kidneys in the body is to filter harmful metabolic substances that enter our blood and excrete them from the body along with urine. Toxins that enter the blood and therefore the kidneys also come from diseased teeth. However, it sometimes happens that the kidneys do not filter all harmful substances. When this happens and the toxins reach the kidneys, they can cause glomerulonephritis and seriously damage them, or even prevent them from functioning, which may result in the need for daily dialysis.
Cystitis
If we often suffer from tonsillitis, toothache and advanced caries, which we ignore, it may lead to chronic cystitis. In the initial phase, streptococci attack the throat and oral cavity, from there they spread to the renal glomeruli. Consequently, in the acute stage of cystitis, the body reacts with fever and blood appears in the urine. This is a condition in which the doctor is forced to administer an antibiotic, and although the inflammation goes away, it may only be a temporary condition, because cystitis is difficult to completely cure and often returns. This is caused by untreated inflammation, periodontitis and cavities in the oral cavity. To get rid of the problem, it is worth visiting a dentist's office.
Arthritis
Arthritis is associated with constant, troublesome pain that prevents us from functioning properly and limits our ability to move the limb in which it occurs. This condition may lead to the need to take steroids. Meanwhile, such a serious threat to our health may be caused by untreated teeth. Dental caries very often becomes the cause of rheumatic diseases. Even small defects in the enamel can cause streptococci to attack our teeth, and from there they move to the tonsils and further to the joints. Antibodies often ignore streptococci, considering them as body tissues, and instead of neutralizing them, they attack the joints. Psoriasis, thyroiditis, and diabetes may also result from an imbalanced immune system.
Coronary artery disease
Chronic inflammation of the gums is the result of circulatory disorders and, if left untreated, leads to tooth loss. As scientists from the University of Minnesota have proven, there is a close relationship between tooth loss and the asymptomatic form of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries, which are responsible for supplying blood to the brain. Tartar also promotes the development of this disease because the bacteria contained in it penetrate the blood vessels and damage them.
Myocardial infarction
Heart disease and heart attack can be caused by recurring bacterial infection. This is due to the previously mentioned migration of bacteria from the mouth, teeth and tongue to the bloodstream, through which they move throughout the body. If they are found in it, sooner or later they will also reach the heart and cause life-threatening clots that may contribute to a heart attack or stroke. Another significant threat is endocarditis caused by bacteria settling on the heart valves.
Respiratory infections
Dental cavities may cause respiratory infections in the form of pneumonia and bronchitis, according to the Journal of Periodontology. Insufficient oral hygiene leading to an increase in the number of bacteria increases the risk of bacteria being sucked into the lower respiratory tract, where, if not removed, they may cause chronic pneumonia.
Peptic ulcer disease
The cause of peptic ulcer disease is a bacterial infection caused by Helicobacter Pylori living in the mucus produced by the stomach and duodenum. It also settles in dental plaque, so maintaining oral hygiene can reduce the risk of bacteria migrating and eliminating it from the stomach. However, neglecting oral hygiene can even lead to stomach cancer.
Cancer
According to "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention", one of the causes of cancer may be the poor condition of the gums, which leads to the appearance of dental cavities. According to research published in the journal, missing teeth increase the risk of esophageal cancer by 136 percent, head and neck cancer by 68 percent, and lung cancer by 54 percent. This risk increases in direct proportion to the number of lost teeth.