Gum Disease Isn't Just a Mouth Problem — It Can Affect Your Whole Body

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Think that when you have severe periodontal disease, when you chew or brush your teeth, you're actually uh favoring the uh shedding of bacteria into the bloodstream, and that could actually uh damage the uh cardiovascular system. If you have untreated periodontal disease, every time you eat or brush your teeth, the uh anaerobic bacteria that causes gum disease can actually travel into the bloodstream and cause other distant problems. There is a uh systemic risk, and so these bacteria are a risk for the uh cardiovascular system, their respiratory system as well, and has been associated with uh coronary artery disease and cardiovascular health. There are a number of systemic diseases that can worsen as a result of untreated severe periodontal disease, such as diabetes mellitus type 2, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis, among many others. So, treating and eliminating severe periodontal disease will improve your overall systemic health. It's not only about your bad breath, but about your systemic health. Look for a uh board-certified periodontist that can actually diagnose and treat your disease in a short period of time.