Does Poor Dental Hygiene Affect Your Overall Health?

February 7, 2022
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Dental hygiene is a vital part of keeping your body healthy. Your teeth and gums affect your digestion, your ability to taste, and even your emotions. In addition, good dental hygiene in Issaquah can help prevent several serious diseases that can affect your overall health. However, many people don’t prioritize their dental hygiene, and as a result, they put their health at risk.

Your teeth and gums are designed to last a lifetime. So, when something goes wrong, it’s often a cause for concern. When your teeth and gums aren’t healthy, they can put you at risk for a wide range of serious medical conditions, which can affect your quality of life and well-being.

elderly woman with good dental hygiene Issaquah

The Link Between Your Oral Health and Overall Health

Your mouth grants access to your digestive and respiratory tracts. These two systems need to be in working order to maintain balance and health. Your mouth is a host to millions of harmful bacteria, which, if not removed, can cause serious illness throughout your body.  

Your mouth harbors the largest single bacterial population of any other part of your body. When you have poor oral hygiene, these bacteria can easily make it into your digestive and respiratory systems, where they can lead to serious conditions. The mouth is a repository for the worst of your microbes, including many with the potential to contribute to serious health conditions.  

Therefore, you must take all of the steps necessary to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

What Conditions Can Develop from Poor Dental Hygiene?

Cardiovascular Disease

One of the most common conditions related to a lack of good dental hygiene is cardiovascular disease. Because the mouth is the first place that harmful bacteria enter the body, it is highly likely that when the mouth is poorly cared for, the same bacteria can be found in the bloodstream and cause an infection.  

The bacteria can travel to the blood and attack the blood vessels, making it more difficult to circulate nutrients throughout the body.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar is either too high or too low, causing blood vessels to become hard and narrow. Poor dental hygiene can make the blood flow more difficult to maintain.  

The bacteria from the mouth can clog the blood vessels, making it harder to remove sugar from the blood. It can increase blood sugar, causing an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Pneumonia

Poor dental hygiene can be a major reason for pneumonia. The bacteria that live in the mouth can make their way into the lungs, causing them to fill with fluid.

It is important to maintain good dental hygiene to avoid such conditions and ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy.

Person with good dental hygiene Issaquah

Practice Good Dental Hygiene in Issaquah

Good dental hygiene is as important as eating a healthy diet, having a healthy physical exercise routine, and getting a good night’s sleep. You need to brush your teeth twice daily and floss at least once a day to remove the harmful plaque that builds up on your teeth and gums for good dental health. You should also see your dentist every six months for a cleaning and check-in with your dentist if you have any health issues, such as bleeding gums.  

It’s important to remember to take care of your mouth because the health of your teeth affects the health of your entire body. Call us at APEX Dental Care today to learn more about preventative care.

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