It is important to take care of your oral health daily as an important way to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. According to experts, good dental health reflects your overall well-being. So, brushing twice daily, flossing, eating healthy foods, and getting your dental check-up done regularly help ease your problems with teeth and gums.

Your dentist also helps spot the signs of other issues when they look inside your mouth, checking if there are any signs of oral cancer in your jaw joints. Doctors say chronic inflammation in your mouth impacts other parts of your body as well, leading to heart problems, diabetes, and various other serious diseases.

Here are five surprising things that your oral health can tell you about your health:

Those who have poor oral health like gum infections, tooth loss, and cavities are high at risk of heart issues like heart attack and stroke. Various studies have found a link between bacteria that infect your gums to cause conditions like gingivitis – which travel to blood vessels elsewhere in the body and cause damage.

Inflamed gums have a heightened blood supply and also have periodontal pockets, which are gaps that grow between the gum and teeth, giving opportunities for bacteria to get into the bloodstream.

According to experts, tooth decay mostly happens due to iron deficiency, which causes anemia. It prevents your body from getting enough oxygen and blood, which impacts oral health – leading to tooth decay and early eruption of deciduous teeth – which negatively impacts enamel.

In pregnant women, bad teeth lead to gum diseases which increase the risk of premature labour and low birth weight. According to experts, bacteria from plaque travel to the placenta through the bloodstream, leading to massive inflammation which disrupts the amniotic sac and leads to premature rupture. The chronic inflammation from gum disease also releases prostaglandins - hormone-like substances that regulate labour.

Doctors say premature babies have health issues like infections, asthma, feeding issues, and a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

Doctors say since your mouth is connected to your gut – any teeth issue can lead to digestive problems. Swelling in the gums and tooth decay cause inflammatory bowel disease - a group of chronic conditions that cause inflammation and damage to the intestines. The main types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

A few signs of IBD include persistent dry mouth and lots of fissures on the tongue.

According to experts, a larger number of missing teeth is associated with a higher risk for cognitive decline – including dementia. Studies suggest that those with gum disease and tooth loss are at higher risk of developing the condition that causes a gradual decline in cognitive abilities like thinking, memory, and reasoning, which can interfere with daily life. It is not a normal part of ageing, but it's more common as people get older.

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