Periodontal disease is so common in America that, it is believed that majority of the people are victims of this dental disorder. Research is underway to conclusively prove that periodontal disease has a negative impact on other parts of our body. The following is look at how periodontal disease effects health.
How periodontal disease develops
Periodontal disease doesn’t just appear suddenly but through a process that involves several steps. The first stage of the condition is characterized by a color change of the gums to red and there could be some bleeding when cleaning your teeth. It is interesting to note that, at this stage, very few people take action to seek remedy because they think that it a usual occurrence. What they do not know is that, these symptoms are the first tell tale signs of the condition.
Ignoring the condition at this stage exposes your teeth to a myriad of dental conditions, which include the recession of gums and looseness of teeth. At its advanced stages, you could suffer from jaw bone atrophy and loss of teeth and gums.
Periodontal diseases’ effects on the rest of your body
One interesting fact about periodontal disease is that, its effects are not restricted to your mouth. Medical research has proven that there are high chances that the rest of your body can also become infected.
The culprit that causes the spread of the condition is a bacterium that has the capability to spread to your body’s other parts through a process known as respiration. Its presence in your lungs results to several respiratory conditions which includes pneumonia.
Medical research has shown that the bacterium could also result to cancer of the kidneys. Most people suffering from periodontal disease are also known to have a high likelihood of suffering from cancer of the pancreas and blood.
Periodontal disease has been associated with brittleness and porosity of the bones, also referred to as osteoporosis, but studies on this are inconclusive.
Research is ongoing to prove that periodontal disease can result to cardiovascular disorders and increasing your chances of stroke. The link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular conditions is due to the inflammation that is characteristic of a person suffering from the former. It is also suggested that, this inflammation can also be experienced in other parts of your body.
There is a link between periodontal disease and diabetes, which has led to the suggestion that diabetics are prone to periodontal disease than other persons. This is as a result of compromised immunity that is experienced by diabetes patients. The onset of periodontal disease in a diabetic patient presents additional challenges when they try to control their level of blood sugar because it makes it very hard.
How you can avert periodontal disease
Regular visits to a dentist is the best known way to prevent periodontal disease. This is because dentists are capable of identifying the earliest symptoms of the condition and recommend the most appropriate course of action to cure it to prevent its spread to other parts of your body.
Conclusion
Your body is interconnected in such a way that a condition in one part results to adverse effects on other parts. It is for this reason that you need to take seriously the slightest signs that look unusual in your body. Periodontal disease can cause life threatening compilations, and it is, therefore, important to watch out for anything that feels or looks out of the ordinary in your oral cavity and seek expert advice immediately. You should, however, not wait for the symptoms to appear, but make a point to visit your dentist because it could save your life.
Author Bio- This post has been written by Tressy Jones. She loves to write about Dental Health. She recommends California shine dental for providing best san jose teeth whitening treatments.