At Gateway Dental Care, serving you in Pleasanton, CA, our patients will sometimes ask if bad teeth affect your health. In short, yes. So, we would like to share with you the main reasons maintaining good oral hygiene can keep you healthy overall.
How Do Bad Teeth Affect Your Health?
Receiving regular dental checkups can improve your overall health and is part of a well-rounded disease prevention program. Sometimes an infected tooth can spread and infect your heart, brain, blood, respiratory system, and tendons. Ignoring an infected or cracked tooth can lead to various diseases such as:
- Blood Clots
- Memory Loss
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- And More
One Bad Tooth, A Whole Lot Of Pain
Oral health and overall physical hygiene were once classified and treated as separate medical issues that had nothing to do with disease prevention. Bad teeth, however, can be an indicator of diseases throughout the body. Having a cracked tooth, rotting tooth, gum inflammation, or an abscess infection allows harmful bacteria to travel through your bloodstream and into your extremities and organs. This spreads an infection to any part of your body. Signs your mouth may have an infection include:
- Bleeding Or Inflamed Gums
- Halitosis / Bad Breath
- Sensitivity To Hot Or Cold Foods
- Swollen Neck Glands Or Jaw
- Pain When Chewing
Bad Teeth & Mental Health
If you are going through life with painful teeth and gums, this affects your mental health. You may no longer enjoy your favorite foods or the company of friends. You may feel down or embarrassed and choose to isolate yourself. Why hide or deprive yourself of the good things in life when we can help?
Protect Your Health With Proper Dental Care
Don’t let bad teeth affect your health. Gateway Dental Care of Pleasanton is here to give you a bright smile that will equate to better overall health. Call and schedule your next cleaning at our office today. We are open late evenings and Saturdays for your convenience.