Experts warn untreated gum disease can impact the entire body

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Gum disease is a very common condition, with nearly half the adults in the U.S. age 30 and older having some form of gum disease. That jumps to 70% for people 65 years and older.

If left untreated, gum disease can lead to some very serious complications that go beyond your mouth.

The headlines are astonishing – a tooth infection leading to sepsis and even death. The culprit – gum disease. Even though these stories are the rare consequences of untreated gum disease, bacteria in your mouth have been linked to heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and diabetes.

“Diabetes can actually make gum disease more significant, and gum disease can actually make diabetes harder to manage,” said Dr. David Sutton, owner of Dapper Dental.

Experts say as many as 75% of diabetics have gum disease, and gum disease can increase your risk for a heart attack by 30%. For those with severe gum disease, the risk for certain types of cancers, such as pancreatic, oral, and colon cancer, increases by 25%.

If you are pregnant, gum disease has been linked to preterm births and low birth weight. So, what can you do to protect yourself against gum disease?

“It’s really important that we establish really good habits very early on,” said Sutton.

That includes brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing, and keeping up with your regular dental checkups.

“If your gums bleed when you brush, that’s your body trying to scream to you, hey, some … something’s going on,” he said.

If you do have bleeding gums, get it checked out by a dentist right away. And following that advice might just save your life.

Gum disease has also been linked to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Studies have found that even with treatment, RA patients with gum disease continue to have worse arthritis symptoms and are 50 percent less likely to be in remission.

Contributors to this news report include: Milvonne Chery Copeland, Producer; Chuck Bennethum, Editor.

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