We all naturally have bacteria in our mouths. We control it by taking good care of our teeth, including what we eat and our daily oral hygiene. Yet, it might be less-known that the bacteria in our mouths can do damage to more than just our teeth. In fact, it has been linked to our major health problems, such as heart disease.
We wanted to know more about this link and what we can do to prevent it, so we asked The Smile Team Pediatric Dentistry for help. This is what you need to know.
The Bacteria in our Mouths
Even though you can’t see it or feel it, your mouth has a lot of different bacteria. Most of the bacteria is benign and will not do anything to you. In fact, some bacteria are actually good for your health, such as probiotics that are good for your digestion. Nonetheless, there are still some types of bacteria that can cause diseases and negatively impact your health.
The two types of bacteria that can do the most harm are streptococcus mutans and porphyromonasgingivalis. The latter is not found in unhealthy mouths, so as long as you are keeping up with good hygiene, it might never be a problem for you. This is the bacteria that cause gum disease. The first bacteria, streptococcus mutans, is what causes tooth decay and is stimulated by sugars.
Cardiovascular Health
Unfortunately, that bad bacteria in your mouth does not always stay in your mouth. Instead, it can travel along your bloodstream and cause major issues throughout your body. There have even been studies that have shown that the bacteria from your mouth are found in the blood clots that cause strokes and heart attacks. This bacteria is the same type that causes gum disease.
Patients who suffer from periodontal or gum disease are at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular conditions, including heart disease and hypertension. If you think about it, everything that you eat first goes through your mouth casinos bitcoin, making sense that the bacteria in your mouth can actually travel to anywhere within your body.
When you have poor oral hygiene, the amount of inflammation in your entire body, not just your mouth, is much higher, putting you at a much higher risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation. When you have heart failure, your heart is not able to pump blood throughout your body as it should. This causes fatigue, breathing issues, and makes it much harder for oxygen to reach the organs throughout your body.
What Can Be Done
The first thing that you can do to prevent the development of these diseases from your oral bacteria is to take better care of your teeth. This means that you should be brushing your teeth for two minutes, twice a day, and flossing your teeth once a day. This will remove the buildup of bacteria, keeping it from multiplying or traveling to where it shouldn’t be. Studies have shown that brushing your teeth multiple times a day gives you a 12 percent less chance of developing heart failure in the future.
Additionally, you should be visiting your dentist for cleanings and checkups twice a year. Your dental hygienist will be able to remove bacteria that have built up on your teeth and look for any issues that might be starting within your gums or anywhere in your mouth. Your dentist will also do an oral health screening and make there that there are no major concerns.
Finally, you need to take better care of yourself. Part of this is from your diet. Diets that are high in sugars and starches will have higher amounts of bacteria than other diets will. Instead, increase the amount of vegetables that you eat in order to help balance the ph. of your mouth and stay healthy. Finally, maintain your cardiovascular health by regularly exercising. You can increase your cardiovascular system’s overall strength by giving it a workout, making it less susceptible to being affected even if bacteria make it there.
Take good care of yourself in all ways and you will live a longer, healthier life.