5 Ways Poor Dental Care Makes You Sick

Even if you brush your teeth daily, you may still have dangerous bacteria growing inside your mouth. Not only could that lead to periodontitis (an advanced form of gum disease that comes with symptoms such as bleeding when you brush and gum pain), but studies also find a link between poor oral hygiene and major health issues. Here are some ways that missing the mark on oral care could harm your heath.

1. It may hurt your heart.

People with gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease compared to those don't have periodontitis. Researchers aren't exactly sure of why this might be, but one theory is that harmful bacteria from your mouth enters your blood stream and attaches to fatty plaques in your heart's blood vessels, leading to inflammation and upping your risk of clots that can trigger heart attacks.

2. Your memory may suffer.

Some research suggests there may be a tie between poor oral health and an increased risk of dementia. One study that followed 118 nuns between the ages of 75 and 98 found that those with the fewest teeth were most likely to suffer dementia. Experts think oral bacteria may spread to the brain through cranial nerves that connect to the jaw or through the bloodstream, and may contribute to the type of plaque that's been linked to Alzheimer's.

3. It might worsen your body's control of blood sugar.

People with diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease than those without diabetes. While this may be because diabetics are more susceptible to infections, there's also been research that finds gum disease could make it harder to control your blood sugar, and that treating it helps improve diabetes symptoms.

4. It may affect your breathing.

Gum disease may increase your risk of getting respiratory infections, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia, according to the Journal of Periodontology. The infections might be caused when bacteria from the mouth are inhaled into your lungs, possibly causing your airways to become inflamed.  

5. It could make it harder for you to have a baby.

Women of childbearing age with gum disease took an average of just over seven months to become pregnant – two months longer than the average of five months that it took women without gum disease to conceive, discovered researchers in Western Australia. Other research finds that pregnant women with gum disease might have higher odds of miscarriage.

Above article from: health.yahoo.net 

 

Dentists Waxhaw NC

Carolinas Dental Center
Tel:704-612-0774
2514 Cuthbertson Road
Waxhaw, NC 28173 USA

Dental Professionals are your first line of defense in detecting oral cancer

~Todd Johnson, DDS

Did you know that one American dies every hour from oral cancer? This is according to recent statistics released by the American Cancer Society.

Did you also know that the death rate for oral cancer has remained essentially unchanged for more than 40 years?

Here are other little known, but deadly, facts:

• The death rate in the United States for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney, or ovary.
• More than 30,000 Americans will receive an oral cancer diagnosis this year. In five years, only 57% will still be alive.
• 25% of oral cancer victims do not use tobacco or alcohol and have no other lifestyle risk factors.

The reason for the high death rate of the disease is mainly due to discovering the cancer only in its late stages. The good news is that when detected early there is a 90% cure rate. Unfortunately, 70% of oral cancers are diagnosed in the late stages.

Equally unfortunate is the fact that there has been very little advancement in screening techniques - until recently.

New technology at the dental office

Dentists and hygienists now have a weapon to combat the threat of oral cancer. It’s called ViziLite ™. This technology allows the user to examine a patient’s oral cavity with a specially designed light that can immediately identify suspicious tissue. If any abnormalities are found a biopsy is ordered to confirm or rule out cancer. It is painless and fast.

Be sure to ask your dentist or dental hygienist about this new life saving technology. An annual examination is highly recommended.

For more information contact: Carolinas Dental Center at 704-543-1102 or on the web at www.carolinasdentalcenter.com

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