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Gum disease affects nearly 1 in 2 adults
most people have no idea they have it, do you?
It’s called the silent disease
for a reason
Early Gum
Disease
Bone Loss
Receding Gums
Deep Gum Pockets
Bleeding
Gums
Chronic Inflammation
If you have seen blood when brushing and thought nothing of it, you are not alone. The truth is, most people ignore early signs until it’s too late. Beneath the surface, inflammation can already be breaking down the bone that keeps your teeth stable. You won’t feel it, not until your smile starts to change.
Bad breath
You don’t wake up one day with severe gum disease
The longer it goes untreated, the deeper the damage runs.
What starts in your mouth doesn’t stay there
Chronic gum inflammation doesn’t just affect your smile. Studies have linked it to heart disease, diabetes, pre-term birth, and even slower recovery after surgery. When bacteria in your mouth enter your bloodstream, it triggers a cascade effect across your body. Understand your own gum-to-body connection.
Alzheimer's
Research has found a link between gum disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Harmful bacteria from infected gums can enter the bloodstream and reach the cells in the brain, where they may trigger inflammation linked to cognitive decline.
Chronic gum infection can contribute to long-term brain inflammation and may accelerate the progression of Alzheimer’s. Bacteria associated with gum disease have been identified in brain tissue of people with Alzheimer’s, suggesting that poor gum health may play a role in worsening neurological damage over time.
Impact on Pregnancy
A scientific article published in 2023 found that pregnant women with periodontal disease were more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth and low birth weight. The inflammation associated with gum disease can interfere with the normal development of the fetus, leading to complications. Another study discusses the mechanisms by which periodontal disease can influence pregnancy outcomes. It suggests that the bacteria from the mouth can reach the placenta, causing inflammation and potentially leading to preterm birth.
Chronic Inflammation
Bacteria in diseased gums trigger your immune system to stay on high alert, causing chronic inflammation that can last for months or even years. This ongoing inflammation doesn’t stay in your mouth. The body reacts as if it is under constant attack, which can strain organs and tissues over time. It can make you feel more tired, slow injury recovery time, and even affect your heart and metabolism.
Surgery Recovery
Gum disease can significantly affect your body's ability to heal after surgery. People who suffer from periodontal disease, commonly known as gum disease, are more likely to experience complications after surgery. This can include increased pain, swelling, slower healing, and a higher risk of infection. This happens because the chronic inflammation linked to gum disease keeps your body’s immune system on high alert, making it harder to respond effectively when it really needs to, like during recovery from a surgery.
Impacts on Immune system
Gum disease doesn't just trigger inflammation, it can actually reprogram your immune system over time. Persistent oral infections can alter the balance of immune cells, making them less effective at responding to new threats. Your body's defenses are essentially being "distracted," focusing on oral bacteria while other parts of your system are left more vulnerable. Untreated gum disease can subtly weaken your body’s ability to protect itself, long before any obvious symptoms appear.
Gum Disease Affects Everything
"Chronic periodontitis…can develop into a systemic condition characterised by unresolved hyper-inflammation, disruption of the innate and adaptive immune system, dysbiosis of the oral, gut and other location’s microbiota and other system-wide alterations that may cause, coexist or aggravate other health issues associated to elevated morbi-mortality.”
Periodontal Inflammation and Systemic Diseases: An Overview — Martínez-García & Hernández-Lemus, 2021
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