It is estimated that around 80% of American adults suffer from some degree of gum disease, making it one of the most common diseases in America. Despite this statistic, 60% of people with gum disease don’t know that they have it, which can lead to further complications and a decline in whole-body wellness. Although gum disease may seem like a disease that is isolated to the mouth, the inflammatory reactions that it can cause are spread throughout the whole body, and so it is vital to treat it quickly and effectively.
What is Periodontitis?
Periodontitis is the medical name for gum disease, specifically, a more severe case of gum disease, and translates to ‘inflammation around the tooth.’ Gum disease is an infection caused by a build-up of oral bacteria which then leads to inflammation that can be very painful and destructive. Without proper treatment, a bacterial infection around the gums and teeth can worsen, causing the alveolar bones that support the teeth to disintegrate, leading to tooth loss and causing other health complications.
Gum disease and its effect on whole-body wellness
Gum disease may seem as though it is isolated to your mouth, but without treatment even mild gum disease can begin to cause problems elsewhere in the body, leading to a decline in whole-body wellness. Gum disease doesn’t just stay in your mouth but causes an inflammatory reaction throughout the body. Inflammatory reactions have been linked to a number of serious health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s, and can even cause pregnant women to give birth prematurely. Just because the inflammation appears isolated to the mouth, does not mean that it is not affecting the body as a whole, and so it should be treated with urgency.
