Gum disease can present many risks and complications in your overall health. So to answer the question, “Can gum disease kill you?” The answer is yes. Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that is caused by bacteria from the mouth. If left untreated, the bacteria can find its way to travel through the bloodstream and infect other body organs. As a matter of fact, people who are diagnosed with heart disease most commonly show signs of gum disease. If you think that you have gum disease, go to KellyvilleFamilyDental.com.au and check out their services.
Gum Disease is A Killer From Within
Periodontal disease has been described by many health professionals as a silent killer that does not show any signs at the beginning. In general, a lot of people do have gum disease and they are not even aware of it. This is one of the reasons why the complications are often diagnosed late and initial treatments are no longer viable options.
Gum disease happens when bacteria from germs start to infect the gums and teeth and eventually cause swelling, soreness, redness, and bleeding. This kind of situation begins when the person neglects his or her oral health and does not have a routine visit to the dental office.
Oftentimes, gum disease is interchanged with gingivitis. To make things clear, gingivitis is not as harmful and dangerous as periodontal disease. Gingivitis is typically caused by accumulated plaque that’s filled with bacteria. If the plaque is not removed or cleaned professionally, it could lead to periodontal disease and other health problems such as heart disease and lung issues.
How Periodontal Disease Can Kill You
You are probably wondering, how exactly can a gum disease kill me? The answer is simple, as mentioned, the bacteria that caused the gum disease can get through the bloodstream that brings blood to different body organs. Once the bacteria gets in the heart, brain, and others, it will start to infect those parts and begin to become gradually destructive.
According to studies, women who have had gum disease and lost plenty of teeth have a higher chance of being at risk of death due to certain health issues. In line with this, the complications and risks are also getting higher as people age.
Recent studies also show that gum disease is commonly linked to cardiovascular diseases. Researchers believe that gum disease and heart disease have a relationship that should still be put into debate. Ideally, people who smoke and consume excessive alcohol are most likely at risk of both periodontal and heart disease.
For some healthcare providers, heart and gum disease are correlated due to inflammation. Inflammation takes place when our body fights off harmful bacteria, sadly, when this continues on occurring, the organ tissues will be damaged.
Gum disease can kill you as it also puts you at risk of cancer. Although cancer and gum disease do not show any similarity, chances are gum disease poses a greater risk of cancer complications. The connection of gum disease with cancer may be small and somehow insignificant, but studies show that it affects the complications that cancer patients had to endure while on treatment.
Cognitive issues are also being linked to gum disease since the brain is the closest organ to the mouth. Some experiments suggest that older people are experiencing worse cognitive issues due to periodontal disease and tooth loss. One study also shows that there is a certain type of bacteria (commonly seen on periodontitis) found in patients with Alzheimer’s. This gives them the theory that the bacteria from the mouth boosts cognitive problems.
Another body organ that gum disease can directly infect is the lungs. Due to the unwavering connection of the mouth and the lungs, bacteria can easily find a way to infect the said organ. Heavy smokers particularly are often typically diagnosed with gum disease as well as lung issues. Apart from inflammation, dentists also look at the possibility of them regularly inhaling the bacteria from the mouth into the lungs causing infections.
Conclusion
Our oral health is like a portal that can either damage or protects our body from certain diseases. The best way to avoid health risks and complications caused by gum disease are to maintain proper dental care. Accompany this with regular dental visits to ensure that you don’t get to suffer the consequences of poor oral hygiene.
