Taking care of your mouth, teeth and gums is an essential for most. Doing it throughout your whole life can help prevent problems as you get older. A healthy mouth is more important and an unhealthy mouth may put a person at risk of serious health problems. Good oral health is not difficult to achieve. These three symptoms in your mouth could be a warning of something more serious.
Gum disease
Certain studies have suggested that when a person has gum disease it could mean they are more susceptible to having a heart attack.
This could be related to the bacteria that infects the gums and causes gingivitis and this could potentially travel to the blood vessels in the body.
This will cause inflammation in the vessels which leads to blood clots and later strokes or heart attacks.
Pale gums
If your mouth has very pale, almost white, gums this could mean that a person is anaemic.
Anaemia relates to the amount of red blood cells in the body and for anemics this means there is not enough.
Left untreated it could lead to a serious health risk as red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen through the body.
Inflammation
If you mouth has gumming or inflammation it could indicate periodontal disease and over time this could lead to major damage the gums, bone, and structures that support the teeth. Severe cases may eventually lead to tooth loss.
Missing teeth
Adults who have teeth missing may be more likely to have a chronic kidney disease.
Researchers suggest that chronic inflammation may be the link between kidney disease and missing teeth. When you take care of your mouth and teeth you may reduce your risk of developing kidney disease.
Tips to protecting your mouth:
- Brush your teeth twice a day
- Floss daily
- Use mouthwash to remove food particles
- Eat a healthy diet and limit sugars
- Replace your toothbrush every three months
- Schedule regular dentist visits
- Quit smoking
Electric toothbrushes are more popular than ever and has been proven to remove much more plaque and food debris than a manual one.
Make sure you use it at a low speed at first to protect the gums and not cause damage.
Taking care of your tongue is just as important as the teeth and gums as many bacteria colonise the surface and this causes bad breath.
Brush your tongue or use a special tongue cleaner.
The NHS said: “Have regular check-ups with your dentist and don’t put off going. Detecting problems early can mean they’re easier to treat.
“If problems aren’t treated, they may lead to damage that’s harder, or even impossible, to repair.”
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