You may think that since gum disease is one of the most common health concerns in America, you’ve probably heard all you need to know about it. Unfortunately, one of the reasons why it is so widespread is that it is not well understood by the general public. Luckily, September is Gum Care Month, so here are a few interesting facts about gum disease to help you understand how you can avoid it.
Gum Disease Loves to Meet New People
Did you know that gum disease is contagious? One of the main ways it can be transmitted from one person to another is through exchanging saliva. This can happen during meals by drinking from the same vessel or double-dipping in a shared bowl, and it can also result from oral contact during kissing or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Perhaps most interesting of all, gum disease can be passed from an expectant mother to her unborn child. Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can make a patient more likely to develop gum disease by making it easier for fluids to collect in the gums. For this reason, many OB doctors recommend that their patients attend regular dental appointments to prevent the disease and keep it from being transmitted to the baby.
Gum Disease Enjoys Exploring the Rest of Your Body
Many people might think that gum disease could only ever be a problem for the gums, but this is unfortunately not true. Since the gums are positioned right at the opening of the body’s airway, saliva droplets full of gum disease-causing bacteria can easily be inhaled into the lungs. Because of this, people with gum disease have a significantly higher risk of pneumonia than the general population.
Since the gums are full of blood vessels, the bacteria that cause gum disease can also travel through the circulatory system to other tissues in the body where they can cause potentially life-threatening secondary infections such as sepsis. To make matters worse, these bacteria in the circulatory system may contribute to the buildup of plaque in the blood vessels which can strain the heart, increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack or stroke.
Gum Disease and Diabetes Can Make Each Other Worse
If someone is dealing with chronic gum disease, their body will constantly be fighting against it. The strain of this constant struggle can take its toll on the endocrine system, making the patient more likely to develop diabetes or aggravating an existing case of it. On the other hand, the immune system needs a healthy supply of insulin to function properly, so diabetes makes it harder for the body to prevent or fight gum disease. If a patient has both gum disease and diabetes, the two can start a vicious cycle of one making the other worse.
The good news is that your dentist is trained and equipped to treat gum disease at any stage. Gum disease is almost always reversible or completely preventable with good oral hygiene. This includes a daily regimen of flossing, using antibacterial mouthwash, and brushing at least twice in addition to regular dentist appointments. By knowing more about gum disease, you are better equipped to avoid it.
About the Author
Dr. Deval Parmar earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery at the Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry after running a successful dental office in India. She currently serves as a member of the American Dental Association and the Texas Dental Association. Her office in Frisco, TX offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry in addition to gum disease treatments. For more information on preventing or treating gum disease, contact the office online or dial (972) 972-4646.