Taking care of your oral health isn’t just about preventing cavities or having a beautiful smile, although both are undoubtedly valuable. Poor oral health puts you at an increased risk of developing periodontal disease, which is a chronic inflammation of the gums caused by the bacteria that live inside your mouth.

Since your mouth and your gums can give these bacteria access to your bloodstream, gum disease puts you at an increased risk for developing other serious conditions. This is a principle known as the oral-systemic connection. Not taking care of your mouth can make you more susceptible to the following conditions:

1 - Cardiovascular diseases

Everything from simple tooth removal procedures to simply brushing your teeth will give bacteria access to your bloodstream. Among the side effects of that bacteria presence is an increase in the presence of LDL cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol. This puts you at an increased risk of suffering from heart diseases and heart attacks.

That’s one of the reasons why wisdom teeth removal and other dental procedures shouldn’t be performed unless they’re absolutely necessary, as this blog explains.

2 - Strokes

The same damage that increases your risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases also puts you at an increased risk of suffering strokes throughout your life. 1 in 6 strokes are fatal.

3 - Diabetes and other conditions

Gum diseases have also been linked to a variety of other serious conditions, including dementia, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and others. It all comes down to the fact that having bacteria constantly entering your bloodstream through your gum is seriously bad news for the various systems that keep your body running.

Periodontal disease can be prevented by brushing twice a day and flossing once a day.