When it comes to heart disease, most of us probably think about things like cholesterol, smoking, drinking too much alcohol and not exercising enough. The general consensus is that if you have any of these risk factors then you’re more likely to develop heart disease. But what about your teeth? Does having bad teeth give you a higher risk for developing heart disease? The answer is yes. Issues like cavities and untreated tooth decay could lead to heart disease and stroke. Read on to learn more about how having bad teeth increases your risk of developing heart disease.
A dental checkup can help detect other health issues
A healthy mouth is essential for a healthy body. If you don’t take care of your oral health, you could be putting yourself at risk for a wide range of systemic diseases that could harm you in the long term. Diseases that can be detected during a dental examination include diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, and certain types of cancers.
Unhealthy bad teeth are linked to chronic conditions
One of the main ways that bad teeth can cause heart disease is through the link between bad oral health and chronic conditions. If you have chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease, then you are at a higher risk of developing heart disease. Not only will these chronic conditions put stress on your heart, but they will also make you more likely to have heart attacks and strokes.
If you have these chronic conditions, then you will likely be prescribed medication which may increase your risk of developing oral infections. This is because many medications can damage the gums, causing sores and making it easier for bacteria to get into the bloodstream. These oral infections can then lead to other systemic diseases, such as heart disease.
Risk of stroke
Another way that having bad teeth can increase your risk of heart disease is by increasing your risk of having a stroke. Having a stroke is a very scary experience that can leave you with long-lasting disabilities or even kill you. Gum disease (periodontitis) is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease. Poor dental health increases the risk of a bacterial infection in the blood stream, which can affect the heart valves. Oral health may be particularly important if you have artificial heart valves.
Blood clots can form several ways, but they are more likely to form if you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of stroke, so if you already have it. Then having bad teeth can make the condition worse. This means that having bad teeth can increase your risk of having a stroke.
Stroke and bad teeth
A new study suggests tooth loss may increase the risk of stroke by as much as 74% compared with those who have a healthy mouthful of teeth. The findings add more evidence to support the growing link between gum (periodontal) disease. Which is caused by bacterial infections, and the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Conclusion
Having bad teeth can increase your risk of developing heart disease for a number of reasons. If you have bad oral health, then you are more likely to develop chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, which can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Bad oral health can also increase your risk of having a stroke. If you have any of these risk factors. Then you should be especially careful when it comes to taking care of your teeth.
