Have you ever heard that having a bad oral hygiene can trigger systemic diseases?
Well this is not a myth, it is a reality and in this blog we explain their relationship and how to avoid it.
It has been observed that suffering from periodontitis can lead to an increased risk of onset and/or progression of certain systemic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, certain respiratory diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity and metabolic syndrome, as well as pregnancy disorders such as premature birth or low birth weight newborns.
To explain the relationship between these diverse systemic pathologies and oral infections, different possible interaction mechanisms have been proposed.
The main ones would be:
1) the oral cavity may act as a reservoir for pathogenic bacteria that can enter the bloodstream and affect distant-site or systemic pathologies (systemic endotoxemia or bacteremia).
2) chronic inflammation in the oral cavity may increase levels of inflammatory markers in the bloodstream affecting immune response, or adding to the body's general burden of disease.
Prevention / Solution
There are many precautions you can take to prevent periodontal disease, which in turn will decrease your risk of developing other systemic diseases. Oral hygiene is the simplest way to prevent periodontal disease. In addition to brushing at least twice a day, flossing is very important. Most important, a dental check-up and cleaning are essential to maintaining a healthy mouth.
At Empower Your Smile, located in Tribeca, New York, wehave professionals specialized in periodontics to treat cases of early and advanced periodontal disease. Dr. Patricia Moezinia advises that the frequency of these professional dental cleanings should be 3 months for high risk patients and 6 months for low risk patients.