The Surprising Ways Oral Health Affects Your Whole Body
- Sherry Ainsworth
- Sep 30
- 7 min read
By Sherry Ainsworth, MSN, RN, ARNP
You just left your dentist’s office, and she told you that you have two small cavities and one larger one that need to be filled. Oh, no! All you can think about is how much it will cost and how much pain might be involved. You don’t have the time or money to deal with this! You know you’ve skipped brushing and flossing regularly, but haven’t had much time for that either. However, you might want to reconsider that when you think about the long-term effects of poor dental hygiene.
Let’s explore how poor dental health leads to disease in the rest of the body beginning with how cavities form.
· Did you know that over 30 million bacteria (“germs”) live daily in the human body? About 300 species of bacteria inhabit the human mouth. Most of these are beneficial and assist with food digestion. However, even the good bacteria feed on the foods we eat and produce waste in the form of a biofilm called dental plaque. This plaque offers a “home” for bacteria to survive long enough to produce acids that damage tooth enamel and cause cavities. The bacteria near the gums produce toxic products that enter the gums and lead to periodontal disease (PD). This can result in bone and tissue damage around the teeth. Gums become sensitive, bleed, and recede from the teeth. As a result, the teeth may become loose and eventually need to be extracted.
· Brushing your teeth twice daily can significantly reduce plaque.
· Flossing between your teeth at least once a day helps remove plaque.
· Using an antimicrobial rinse afterward enhances protection!
All this protection is needed because these oral bacteria can continually spread to the rest of the body, usually through the bloodstream or by inhalation, causing systemic inflammation of various organs. This is known as the “mouth-body connection.” This connection can lead to:
· Heart disease
· Hypertension (high blood pressure) (can lead to stroke)
· Worsening of diabetes
· Lung infections such as pneumonia
· Pregnancy complications
· Widespread pain and inflammation
· Rheumatoid arthritis
· Malnutrition (from inability to chew due to tooth loss)
The spread of oral disease has also been linked to a higher risk of certain cancers, kidney disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
Ø HEART DISEASE
o Bacteria called Porphyromonas gingivalis, or “P. Gingivalis,” are involved in developing PD and are also associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarctions (“M.I.” or “heart attack”). Both of these heart conditions involve the buildup of arterial plaque—fatty material—lining the coronary arteries (CAD) which can cause heart attacks.
o Patients with higher levels of these bacteria in their mouths are more likely to suffer increased heart damage from heart attacks.
o The field of epigenetics is studying how bacterial genes in the mouth change from “good” to “bad” bacteria.
Ø HYPERTENSION
o Hypertension, or long-term high blood pressure, has many causes and can raise your risk of a stroke at any age.
o Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood on the arterial walls as it pulsates through them.
o The same process that causes plaque buildup in the coronary arteries also occurs in many other arteries throughout the body. Because the blood has less space to flow through, it leads to increased blood pressure.
o The American Heart Association explains that Stage 1 hypertension involves having more than one blood pressure reading above 130/80. Stage 2 is when readings go over 140/90, and a hypertensive crisis occurs at readings higher than 180/120. This overview of hypertension assumes that the readings have been confirmed at least twice in a medical office. (American Heart Association, 2025).
Ø DIABETES
o PD has been linked to the development of diabetes in patients with pre-diabetes.
o Over a third of adults in the country have prediabetes, and four out of five (about 88 million) are unaware they have it.
o Severe PD causes gum inflammation that often spreads through the bloodstream and hampers the body’s cells from responding correctly to insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels increase, which is a significant factor in diabetes.
o The bacteria from PD enter the bloodstream and cause ongoing inflammation. This persistent inflammation interferes with the insulin signaling pathway leading to insulin resistance which is a key factor in Type 2 diabetes.
Ø RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS
o Oral bacteria may be inhaled into the lungs, potentially leading to respiratory infections such as pneumonia.
o Patients with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to respiratory infections via this route.
o These lung infections are also more common among hospitalized patients as well as residents in skilled nursing facilities and those who are in prisons.
Ø PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS
o Several studies have explored the connection between poor maternal oral health and premature birth or low birth weight infants. However, not all research has confirmed this link, indicating that other factors may also play a role.
o In 2025, the consensus is that there is a link, but the exact process has not yet been identified.
o Prenatal dental care is considered safe for women and may be associated with more normal pregnancy durations and healthy birth weights.
Ø ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
o PD, a chronic inflammatory disease, may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
o AD is a progressive brain disorder characterized by memory loss, difficulty thinking clearly, and brain inflammation.
o The common oral bacteria P. gingivalis has been discovered in the brains of patients with AD.
o This could indicate a possible link between ongoing oral inflammation and the decline of brain nerve endings.
o More research is necessary to understand the mechanisms underlying this link.
Ø KIDNEY DISEASE
o Research shows that people with PD have a greater risk of worsening kidney function and developing chronic kidney disease.
o Recent research indicates that oxidative stress might play a role in PD among people with impaired kidney function. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between the production and accumulation of certain metabolic by-products.
o When gums become infected, bacteria like P. gingivalis can enter the bloodstream, then travel through the kidneys and potentially damage their ability to filter waste.
o Patients with PD may experience a faster decline in kidney function than patients without PD (Sharma, 2020).
Ø CANCER
o Several studies have shown a positive connection between PD and the risk of head and neck cancers.
o There is also a higher incidence of lung, breast, prostate, and digestive tract cancers in people with PD.
Ø RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA)
o RA is an autoimmune disease marked by long-term inflammation of the synovial tissue in joints.
o A causal relationship between one of the main types of RA and PD has been noted since the early 1900s. Several studies have not yet fully determined the mechanism of the connection, but continue to explore potential explanations. (Fang, 2025
Ø MALNUTRITION
o Chronic PD may lead to malnutrition due to tooth loss and the inability to eat a well-balanced diet.
o Vitamin B-12 and protein levels decreased in patients with malnutrition.
o There is a bidirectional relationship between PD and malnutrition, that is either one can cause the other to develop (Bhatsange, 2024)
Give your teeth a better chance against decay caused by PD. With over 300 species of bacteria residing in your mouth, it’s smart to prevent this issue and the related diseases it can bring by practicing good oral hygiene every day.
References
American Heart Association (2025, August 14). What is High Blood Pressure? https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure
Baima, G., Minoli, M., Michaud, D. S., Aimetti, M., Sanz, M., Loos, B. G., & Romandini, M. (2024). Periodontitis and risk of cancer: Mechanistic evidence. Periodontology 2000, 96(1), https://doi.org/10.1111/prd.12540
Bansal, M., Khatri, M., & Taneja, V. (2013). Potential role of periodontal infection in respiratory diseases: a review. Journal of Medicine and Life, 6(3), pp. 244.
Bhatsange, Anuradha; Kamble, Sanika Prakash. (Mar-Apr 2024). Assessment of nutritional status in chronic periodontitis patients: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology 28(2), pp. 231–243. https://doi.org/10.4103/jisp.jisp_26323
Fang, H., Lin, J., Qiu, Y., Cheng, Z., & Chen, W. (2025). Epidemiology and pathogenesis of the link between rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease. Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B, 26(5), pp. 448–460.
Hajishengallis, G. (2022). Interconnection of periodontal disease and comorbidities: Evidence, mechanisms, and implications. Periodontology 2000, 89(1), pp. 9-18.
Hopkins, S., Gajagowni, S., Qadeer, Y., Virani, S.S., Meurman, J.H., & Krittanawong, C. (Apr. 2024). Oral health and cardiovascular disease. The American Journal of Medicine, 137(4), pp.304–307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2023.11.022
Kim, E. H., Nam, S., Park, C. H., Kim, Y., Lee, M., Ahn, J. B., Shin, S. J., Park, Y. R., Jung, H. I., Kim, B., Jung, I., & Kim, H. S. (2022). Periodontal disease and cancer risk: A nationwide population-based cohort study. Frontiers in Oncology(12), pp. 901–908.
Öçbe, M., Çelebi, E. & Öçbe, Ç.B. (2025). An overlooked connection: oral health status in patients with chronic diseases. BMC Oral Health(25), p. 314. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05673-4
Seyedmoalemi, M. A., & Saied-Moallemi, Z. (2025). Association between periodontal disease and Alzheimer's disease: A narrative review. IBRO Neuroscience Reports, 18(June), pp. 360–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibneur.2024.12.004
Sharma, P., Fenton, A., K. Dias, I. H., Heaton, B., R. Brown, C. L., Sidhu, A., Rahman, M., Griffiths, H. R., Cockwell, P., Ferro, C. J., Chapple, I. L., & Dietrich, T. (2021). Oxidative stress links periodontal inflammation and renal function. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 48(3), pp.357–367.
Tattar, R., Da Costa, B. D., & Neves, V. C. (2025). The interrelationship between periodontal disease and systemic health. British Dental Journal, 239(2), pp. 103–108.
Uwambaye, P., Munyanshongore, C., Nuhu, A., & Kerr, M. (2021). Assessing the association between periodontal disease and premature birth: A case-control study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 21, p. 204. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-03700-0
Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board
Sherry Ainsworth is a nurse practitioner/freelance writer with over 40 years of experience in nursing. She now writes educational articles and contributes to health-related websites. She lives in Aberdeen, WA, with her husband and two very active cats.
