The Bodily Dangers Of Oral Bacteria
Don’t get grossed out, but your mouth is absolutely swarming with bacteria. Over 300 different strains by most accounts. It sounds pretty disgusting when you think about it, but it’s something we all live with for our entire lives – you even inherit some of your oral bacteria while still in the womb!
We brush our teeth and floss to keep oral bacteria under control, but what
happens when it gets out of hand? The most common problems are gum disease and
tooth decay, but that’s just what happens in your mouth.
What Oral Bacteria Does In Your Mouth
Not all the bacteria in your mouth is dangerous, but the stuff that is can do
serious damage. Like we mentioned above, the most immediate oral health
problems are gum disease and tooth decay, both of which are quite common.
Bacteria does most of its dirty work by metabolizing sugars into acid. Any
sugar in the foods you eat is a feast for oral bacteria, and those acids are
great at eroding your enamel and irritating your gums.
We often think of cavities as the big baddie of oral health, but in truth gum
disease is a much more serious problem. It only takes about 24 hours for gum
disease to start causing trouble for your gums, and it isn’t much longer than
that before it starts causing serious damage to your gums.
The biggest problems come when oral bacteria manages to slip into your
bloodstream. From there it’s able to trigger or worse a whole bunch of systemic
health problems – many of which can be fatal. Oral bacteria is able to make it
into your bloodstream through severe cavities (when it reaches the root) and
through gum disease (bleeding is a common symptom). Controlling your oral
health is central to preventing most of these health conditions from starting
or becoming worse!
Conditions Linked To Oral Bacteria
If you’re wondering what exactly oral bacteria can do to the rest of your body
we’ve compiled a list of some of the most serious risks. Keep in mind, there
are more risks than just these!
Certain strains of bacteria are attracted to weak arteries in the brain. When
they attach to the cell walls they spread, weakening blood vessels until they
burst, causing hemorrhages and strokes.
Recent studies found that gum disease patients suffer faster Alzheimer’s declines than those with healthy mouths.
Patients suffering from pancreatic cancer have an almost completely unique bacteria signature in their mouths. This indicates that oral bacteria is playing a huge role in the development of this particular kind of cancer!
Esophageal cancer patients have been found to have high concentrations of oral bacteria around their cancerous cells – it’s like they serve as a magnet for dangerous bacteria!
A recent study found that breast cancer sufferers has a 32 percent higher incidence of also having gum disease than those without.
Kidney disease is commonly known to weaken the immune system, and for many people that leads to gum disease spreading without the body being able to control it at all. In patients who end up suffering from uncontrolled gum disease there’s a much higher mortality rate than those who maintain healthy teeth and gums.
When oral bacteria enters the bloodstream there’s a significant increase in certain proteins in the blood as well. Those same proteins are also responsible for heart disease, clogged arteries, and heart attacks.
How To Prevent These Health Conditions
The best way to keep your oral health from ruining your bodily health is by
keeping your teeth and gums clean and healthy! Maintaining peak health involves
brushing twice a day, flossing every night, and making sure you get proper
preventive oral care twice a year at our Valparaiso or St John office.
Cleanings and exams are an essential part of good oral health!
At Creating Smiles we want to help your oral health be the best it can possibly
be, and that means controlling decay, limiting gum disease, and getting rid of
excess bacteria that builds up in hard to reach places that you might not be
able to clean. Maintaining that kind of health is fundamental, not only for a
lifelong smile, but also for your entire body!
Treat your smile – and yourself – to good health. Schedule an appointment with
us today by calling our Valparaiso office at 219-462-1970 or our St. John
office at 219-322-9920. If you would prefer you can also request an appointment
online. We look forward to seeing you soon!
About Us
Creating Smiles, PC, located in St. John and Valparaiso, Indiana, offers everything you need for a healthy smile and a healthier life. Dr. Kapers and his team can take the anxiety and uncertainty out of dental visits with sedation dentistry, and we're the premier provider of dental implants in the region.