Gum disease is a prevalent health issue, with 46% of U.S. adults showing signs of the condition.1 It has various adverse oral health effects but can also impact other parts of your body. The link between gum disease and high blood pressure means that the former can seriously impact your overall health.
How Are Gum Disease and High Blood Pressure Linked?
Gum disease is a condition where the bacteria naturally present in your mouth infect your gums. Poor oral hygiene and other factors can elevate bacteria levels, allowing the disease to worsen over time. This infection can, in turn, cause a variety of health complications, including affecting your blood pressure.
When your gum tissue is infected, it causes inflammation. This can result in painful and swollen gums, but the effects often spread throughout your body. The infection can spread through your bloodstream, potentially affecting heart valves and blood vessels and increasing your blood pressure.
Various common risk factors also link gum disease and high blood pressure. Even when gum disease doesn’t impact high blood pressure directly, it can indicate that you are at risk. Smoking and using other tobacco products, diabetes, and other factors increase your risk of both conditions.
What Are the Potential Health Risks of Gum Disease?
Gum disease is linked to a variety of oral and whole-body health issues. As it progresses, it can begin to affect adjacent tissue, including your teeth and jawbone. Eventually, the gum tissue and bone holding your teeth in place can weaken, causing them to loosen and fall out.
There is also a severe risk of gum disease affecting your respiratory system. Bacteria can potentially spread to the throat and lungs, where they can cause an infection. A bacterial infection in the lungs is incredibly serious, especially for anyone with an underlying condition.
The increased blood pressure that gum disease contributes to has wide-ranging health effects. Patients with high blood pressure have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. It causes continuous damage to arteries, potentially leading to an aneurysm over time. Patients face an increased risk of dementia, kidney failure, blindness, and more.
What Can I Do to Prevent Gum Disease?
The good news is that you can take effective action today to prevent gum disease and its many adverse health effects. Prevention and treatment are both highly effective in dealing with gum disease.
At home, you should keep up with your oral hygiene routine, brushing and flossing twice daily. Keeping up with routine dentist visits is also essential for identifying signs of gum disease and providing you with advice or treatment as needed.
You can also watch for signs of gum disease at home. Bad breath is a common indicator of early gum disease. Swollen, red, or sore gums can additionally indicate the condition. If you experience bleeding gums, receding gums, or loose teeth, you should reach out to your dentist as soon as possible.
Gum Disease Prevention and Treatment
You can take a proactive approach to your oral and whole-body health with effective prevention from Albion Family Dental. Routine exams and cleanings help prevent gum disease and other oral health issues. If gum disease has taken hold, we provide a variety of periodontal therapy options. Book an appointment to protect your health today. 585-589-9044
Sources:
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/fast-facts/gum-disease/index.html