Neglecting your mouth isn’t only setting you up for bad breath and yellow teeth, it could also preface much more serious health concerns!! The effects of poor oral hygiene can lead to things like disease, cardiac issues, diabetes, and many other ailments including cancer.

REPERCUSSIONS OF POOR ORAL HYGIENE:

1) PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Periodontal disease, a.k.a. gum disease, results from build of plaque / tartar on your teeth where bacteria thrives. One outcome is called Gingivitis, or when the gums are inflamed, possibly bleed, and are red in color. When this early form is not treated (gingivitis), Periodontal disease is the next phase of worsening. This disease attacks your bone structure and can cause tooth loss! read about periodontal care…

2) HALITOSIS

Breath taking the paint off the walls? Not brushing and flossing makes your mouth a food particle and bacteria cesspool. The build of food and bacteria can create chemicals very similar to that of the smell of “rotten eggs” and nobody wants that! Yuck! This is why cleanings & exams are so important…

3) HEART DISEASE

Individuals with periodontal disease are twice as likely to suffer or develop heart disease. The plaque and bacteria associated with periodontal disease flow through your bloodstream attacking whatever they latch on to. In this case it would your heart’s arterial passages. The plaque narrows these passages which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Believe it or not, but many physicians think the presence of gum disease and other poor oral hygiene habits is just as good for predicting heart disease as one’s cholesterol levels.

4) DIABETES

Did you know that nearly 90% of those who suffer from diabetes also have some form of periodontal disease? That’s shocking, and makes you wonder which came first, the chicken or the egg. Or in this case the diabetes or the periodontal disease. With that said, managing your blood sugar levels runs through your mouth from what you consume to how to brush and floss. If you’re having issues with blood sugar management, it could be an unhealthy mouth!

5) BUILD UP OF HARMFUL BACTERIA

With a blatant disregard for hygiene makes your mouth / body a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. This disease ridden bacteria forms in your mouth, throat, and lungs wreaking havoc on anything it comes across. Bacteria in the mouth can cause periodontal disease, while bacteria in your throat can increase your risk of stroke / heart disease, and bad bacteria in your lungs can induce respiratory problems.

If that isn’t incentive enough to start brushing and flossing during the morning and night, then I don’t know what is! Two minutes two times a day with a minimum of a nightly floss could just save your life!