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Your oral health can say a lot about you. As surprising as it sounds, but a patient's oral health can offer several clues about his/her overall health. A year or two ago, any medical physician who may have come across a patient with heart disease or diabetes would not refer him/her to a dentist or periodontist. But with changing lifestyles and routines, researchers have found an interesting possible link between oral health and body health. The consumer advisor of the American Dental Association also states that physicians are now taking a more holistic approach to their patient's overall health. A recent study highlighted that patients with serious periodontal or gum disease were 35-40% more likely to have developed a chronic health condition.

The Mouth Is The Gateway To The Body

What reaches the body, comes from the mouth. In order to conclude how the oral cavity may affect the overall parts of the body, it helps to gather what could have gone wrong in the first place.

Bacteria that may build in the teeth could put your gums at stake of developing a chronic infection. The body's immune system takes charge and begins to fight the infection leading to inflamed gums. The inflammation would continue to grow until the infection is treated and brought under control. 

With time, the chemicals released from the inflammation would start affecting the gums and the enamel leading to severe gum disease also known as periodontitis. 

How Oral Health Leads to Diabetes?

The relationship between diabetes and gum health is a siting example of how the health of the mouth and body are related. Inflammation resulted from gum disease ends up weakening the body's ability to control blood sugar. Diabetic patients may find it difficult to process sugar as they lack insulin in their blood. Insulin is the blood hormone that converts sugar into energy. Gum disease may further complicate diabetes as high blood sugar levels in the body triggers infection to grow and prevail. Your road to recovery? The good news is that controlling either one can put the other under control.

How Heart Disease Is Linked To Oral Health?

Although the relation between gum disease and heart disease isn't clear, both go hand-in-hand. Research suggests that about 91% of cardiac patients experience the periodontal disease as compared to the population that doesn't. Some clinicians suggest that gum disease has a direct relation to the risk of attaining heart disease. Theory suggests that any amount of inflammation in the blood vessels can inflame the vessels of the heart leading to risks of a heart attack in several ways. 

Maintain your oral health today for a healthier lifestyle ahead. Contact Dr. Ayoub today.