Your gums are an extremely important part of your overall health. A lot of people tend to categorize dental anatomy as separate from the rest of the body, but this could not be further from the truth. Gums protect the nerves that connect your teeth to the rest of you, essentially protecting your body against a slew of infections and injuries. Below we look at how gum disease impacts overall health.
How Gum Disease Impacts Overall Health
Your gums are among the first lines of defense when a foreign object is trying to invade your body. That is why your dentist in Mission Viejo wants you to understand how gum disease impacts overall health in a major way. It’s vital to seek treatment for gum issues as quickly as you can before your problems develop into permanent diseases.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease describes a condition that occurs when the gums become infected. This can happen when there is an undue buildup of plaque, tartar, and harmful bacteria on the teeth. Refusing to brush or floss can lead to the development of these substances, which permeate the teeth and get into the gums. Over time, your gums will become more seriously infected, leading to symptoms of pain and discomfort all over the body.
Gum disease develops in a series of stages. The early stages can be harder to detect but are much easier to treat. The first real stage of gum disease is called gingivitis, a condition you may have heard of. Gingivitis is not painful at first, but there may still be some signs of swelling and irritation. Typically, developing gingivitis will cause you to spit out blood when you brush your teeth. You may not feel symptoms of pain, inflammation, or redness until you have reached the gum disease phase, which can be very uncomfortable to experience.
How Unhealthy Gums Affect the Whole Body
The longer your gums go without proper treatment, the bigger risk you have of developing permanent gum disease or periodontitis. This leads directly to infection and painful decay that spread rapidly through the teeth. If it isn’t treated soon enough, this infection will spread down through the nerves of the teeth and into the bloodstream, where it can quickly affect the rest of your body.
Gum disease is known to lead to several harmful conditions in the body, including:
- Diabetes
- Pneumonia
- Cardiovascular disease
- Endocarditis
- Immune system diseases
The longer you let your body develop these diseases without seeking the proper care, the more you are putting it at risk. There is nothing to stop it from affecting the rest of your body once it reaches your bloodstream. You need to act quickly, or else the results may be fatal.
One of the best ways to prevent any of these diseases from developing is by investing in proactive dental care, which can not only treat your teeth but reduce your risk of developing gum disease. Our dentists offer a number of preventative health treatments to keep your teeth and gums in tip-top shape. Our bi-annual cleanings and screenings can wipe out any signs of decay while reinforcing your gums with a shield to prevent the development of decay.
Get Gum Disease Treatment ASAP
If you are experiencing sensitivity, swelling, redness, or bleeding in your gums, you need to see your dentist right away. Our Mission Viejo specialists offer a number of personalized gum disease treatments with fast-acting results. It is imperative to visit your periodontist at the first sign that you are dealing with unhealthy gums. If you wait too long, you may be dealing with symptoms that progressively worsen until it’s too late. Reach out to us today to schedule your first appointment with us.