Protecting Our Kids' Smiles

Nothing sends a chill down the spine like an impending visit to the dentist. Yet, regular dental checkups are vital, not just in taking care of your teeth, but in preventing a host of bodily infections and diseases as well. The mouth is the gateway to the body, and oral bacteria easily transfer into the bloodstream, causing inflammation and infection.

If you've been putting off that annual checkup, here are five reasons to think again.

1. Lungs: When your teeth or gums are infected, bacteria multiply in your mouth. These bacteria can actually be breathed into the lungs, or can travel there through your bloodstream, causing serious respiratory conditions such as infections, bronchitis, pneumonia and even chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

2. Brain: When your gums become inflamed, bacteria are also released into the brain, actually killing your brain cells. Fairly common problems such as gingivitis can lead to memory loss and dementia as these bacteria make their way into the nerve channels and bloodstream.

3. Heart: The oral bacteria inflaming gums and causing periodontal disease can work their way into your bloodstream, causing arterial plaque build up and atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. This damages the blood vessels and arteries, restricts the blood flow and even causes heart blockages, increasing your chances of hypertension, stroke, and heart attack. Shockingly, when the lining of the heart is infected you are at risk of developing endocarditis, which is often fatal.

4. Fertility: Poor oral health can lead to erectile dysfunction in men and fertility problems in women, making it harder to conceive and sustain a pregnancy. During pregnancy, changes to the body's hormones make mothers much more susceptible to developing oral infections, which increase the risk of serious complications, including low birth weight and premature birth.

5. Fatal diseases: Gum disease weakens the body's immune system, increasing the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease and a host of other bodily infections. In severe cases, kidney disease can lead to cardiovascular disease or kidney failure, which can be fatal. Periodontal disease can lead to blood sugar spikes, increasing your chance of developing diabetes and, in diabetes sufferers, bacteria caused by poor oral health can impact the body's ability to control the disease. Shockingly, gum disease also raises the risk of developing several types of cancer, including kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer and blood cancers.

Prevention is the surest way to prevent the host of bodily diseases that can arise from poor oral health. Talk to a dentist for more information.