When you imagine how your gums and lungs relate, you might consider bad breath first. Halitosis is a well-known symptom of a gum infection. That said, the connection goes further than a smelly mouth; there’s a strong link between gum disease and lung disease. Having the former problem puts you at much greater risk of the latter one. If you want to learn more, read over this helpful summary from your local McKinney dentist.
Remind Me: What’s Gum Disease?
Before anything else, you’ll need to know the basics of gum disease. Only then will you see how it can increase your risk of lung disease.
Gum disease is simply an infection of your gums – the pink tissues around your teeth. As such, the condition often results from an excessive buildup of plaque in your mouth. Said buildup usually stems from poor eating, bad oral hygiene habits, and so on.
The two phases of gum disease are gingivitis and periodontitis. While the former phase is just minor gum inflammation, the latter one is a full-blown infection of your gum and jaw tissues. That means gingivitis is reversible with good oral care, and periodontitis isn’t.
How Does It Relate to Lung Disease?
When you have gum disease, it isn’t just your gums that are in danger. You also face a higher chance of getting lung disease.
The problem comes down to the bacteria behind gum disease. Since these microbes gather and grow in the oral cavity (i.e., your mouth), they can easily travel into your lungs over time. This shift can then result in gum disease bacteria causing respiratory conditions. Examples of such ailments include pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and more.
Given the points above, you should always address gum disease quickly. Treating it sooner will keep your lungs safe from infectious bacteria.
Can You Do Anything to Avoid Both?
If you want to reduce your risk of gum disease and lung disease, you can take several helpful steps. The most notable of these are:
- Brush & Floss Often – By brushing twice daily and flossing once daily, you’ll stop plaque from gathering below your gumline.
- Do Oral Rinses – Oral rinses with water (or mouthwash) remove bacteria from your mouth. Therefore, they make you less likely to get gum disease.
- Attend Regular Checkups – When you get dental checkups at least twice yearly, your dentist will diagnose and treat minor issues early before gum disease can occur.
Both gum disease and lung disease are harsh conditions, so please prevent them if you can. You’ll then have a much healthier and stronger smile!
About the Practice
Archway Dental is based in McKinney, TX. Led by Dr. Deval Parmar, our practice does its very utmost to provide your smile with what it needs. We thus take a co-diagnostic approach, only offering the preventive, cosmetic, and restorative procedures most suited to you. The same applies to our gum disease treatment options, which include scaling and root planing and antibiotic therapy. For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (972)-972-4646.