Gum Disease and Your Immune System

Our gum health and immune systems may be more in sync than many of us realize. Studies show that people with periodontitis, which is an advanced stage of gum disease, may be more vulnerable to other illnesses like osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes.

One study estimates that 47 percent of adults over the age of 30 have some degree of periodontal disease. And the CDC found that “people with severe periodontal disease are likely to have more chronic diseases and are more likely to have metabolic syndrome.”

Sometimes it’s one of those “the chicken or the egg” paradoxes, but there are things you can do to help prevent and even reverse gingivitis and, in turn, potentially protect your overall health.

Ways To Improve Gum Health and Therefore Your Immune System

1. Quit smoking. Tobacco is a key culprit in damaging teeth and gums, in addition to the rest of your body.

2. Maintain a rigorous dental hygiene routine. Floss, rinse and brush twice daily using a fluoride toothpaste. This is essential! Paradontax Whitening is not only an anticavity, gentle whitening toothpaste, but it has also been clinically proven to help reverse the early stages of gingivitis. (If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, the most advanced stage of gum disease. Parodontax treats only the early stages of gingivitis.)

3. Boost your immune system. Eat healthy, exercise often, drink plenty of water, and get at least eight hours of sleep each night to fortify your body’s defense mechanisms.

4. Check in with your dentist. If you’re fighting gum disease and/or a compromised immune system, don’t go it alone. Talk to your dentist and your doctor to come up with a treatment strategy that’s right for you.