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Gum Disease can have all Sorts of Negative Effects on the Body.
It is so very important to have your teeth cleaned every six months, and to have your dentist perform a full dental examination on your mouth. One of the main reasons for this is to check for Periodontitis and treat it in its early stages. Not only will gum disease damage teeth, gum tissue, and bones, but it also has very serious effects on other organs in the body.
The number of oral bacteria on one healthy tooth alone is staggering. Even without any plaque or tartar, a single tooth can contain as many as 10,000 bacterial. When plaque or tartar is present, however, the number astronomically multiplies. As many as 1 billion bacteria may be present on just one single tooth!
While some of these bacteria are good for you, most of them are not. If not removed from your teeth, they are likely to eventually infect the gum and cause periodontal disease. Periodontal disease will first degrade the gum tissue itself, causing it to develop small tears in the skin and to recede from teeth. It will also affect the connective tissue that supports those teeth and begin to erode the jawbone. As bad as this is, it gets worse. Once the bacteria that cause gum disease enter the bloodstream through tears in the skin, they can travel to vital organs and cause a number of adverse effects.
While gum disease does not directly cause diabetes, its effects make managing the disease all the more difficult. Oral bacteria weaken the bodys ability to manage insulin levels. This causes unstable blood sugar levels, which can in turn lead to other effects such as blindness, heart disease, and kidney failure.
Diabetes
It is a proven fact that Periodontitis will make diabetes and its many symptoms worse. If you are a diabetic, do not neglect to see your dentist on a regular basis to make certain your gums are healthy and your teeth are clean.
Ulcers
Another effect believed to be caused by gum disease is stomach ulcers. The bacterium that causes ulcers is called helicobacter pylori. This is a common bacterium that grows in plaque that migrates directly to the stomach when a person swallows. There, it grows and begins to eat holes in the stomach walls.
Make sure you brush your teeth properly three times daily and floss your teeth as well. See your dentist every six months for a thorough teeth cleaning.
Pneumonia
The same bacteria that grow in plaque are also inhaled into your lungs every time you take a breath. The two worst strains are Chlamydia pneumoniae and pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both of these bacteria have been proven to cause respiratory disease. Most of the time, your immune system successfully fights these infections. However, when the immune system is weakened for any reason, these bacteria attack the lungs. Bacterial pneumonia and its effects kills about 83,000 people a year, so this is nothing to take lightly if you currently suffer from gingivitis or any other gum problems that could contribute to the growth of these bacteria in your mouth.
So what can we do to minimize the effects of gum disease bacteria?
The most obvious solution is disciplined, daily oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing your teeth are the foundation of good dental self-care. You should also brush your tongue and the roof our mouth gently to reduce the number of oral bacterial. Preventing their growth is the best way to minimize the risk of gum disease and the many negative effects it has on the overall health of the body.
Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont and Midland Texas to see Dr Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth OSullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic denistry services.
Seek professional care on a regular basis as well. Some things, such as teeth cleaning and a full oral examination, can only be done in a dental office.
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