Oral health & other diseases

Oral health impacts other chronic diseases

Poor oral health has strong inter-relationships with other chronic diseases.

Diabetes: HbA1C levels drop by 10% with reduced oral inflammation. So too do the risks of neuropathy, retinopathy and early death, by improving oral health.
High blood pressure: Oral inflammation doubles the risk of hypertension in otherwise healthy adults.
Cardiovascular disease and stroke: Oral inflammation increases the odds of a stroke four-fold. A bacteria causing cavities can cause microbleeds in the brain which are precursors to a stroke. Reducing oral inflammation significantly reduces the thickness of the carotid artery, a measure of atherosclerosis.
Depression: Oral inflammation doubles the risks of a diagnosis of mood disorders.
Cognitive decline: Oral inflammation significantly increases the chance and pace of progressing from Mild Cognitive Impairment to dementia.
Frailty: Poor oral health more than doubles the odds of becoming frail with the next year.
Respiratory disease: Reduced oral inflammation significantly reduces adverse events, hospitalization, frequency of exacerbations, and deaths for adults with COPD.

Consequently, adults with ongoing cavities and inflamed gums spend more time with their doctor and more time in the hospital.

Click to read these e-books with more information about how your oral health can affect your overall health.