It is a common misconception that gum disease can only impact the health of your gums and mouth. However, it can impact your overall health, making it even more important to maintain proper dental hygiene and ensure you visit your dentist regularly. When left untreated, gum disease can cause you to lose your teeth but it can also impact is much more.
Your Lung and Respiratory System Health
In 2011, there was a study done that linked periodontal disease (gum disease) and respiratory illness. Some of the illnesses it was linked to included pneumonia, acute bronchitis, and even COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. While gum disease does not actually cause these things to occur in the body, because the body is trying to fight inflammation and infection in the gums, the ability to fight off these respiratory system infections is limited or compromised, creating a higher occurrence in infected individuals.
Risk Factors Similar Heart Disease and Stroke
While there are no confirmed links between gum disease and heart issues, there are many common risk factors as research has determined. These risk factors that play into both include age, genetics, diabetes, smoking habits, and more. There is currently research being done to determine if there is a connection between the type of bacteria gum disease causes in the mouth and the type of bacteria found in the arteries that is linked to types of heart disease.
Fertility and Pregnancy Links
There have been studies to determine the link between gum disease and women who are trying to get pregnant. A recent study found the on average, women with active gum disease will take two to three months longer to conceive when compared to women who do not have active gum disease. On the other side, women who are pregnant do risk developing gum disease during their pregnancy. In fact, 40% of women who are pregnant do. In most cases, women who get gum disease during pregnancy will be able to get treatment to allow it to go away on its own. However, if it does not, they are more likely to deliver babies with a low birth weight or even give birth prematurely.
Your gum health is important for many reasons beyond ensuring your gums are not infected. Gum disease is linked to many other issues, making it even more important to get treatment if you have active gum disease as well as take action to prevent it.
Source
http://1stfamilydental.com/gum-disease-affects-more-than-mouth/