Celebrate WCD Invisalign Week and enjoy up to $2000 off!

Sign Up

Can Bad Oral Hygiene Lead to High Blood Pressure?

By: Our WCD Team

2/26/2022

Our team at Washington Center for Dentistry in Washington, D.C. is committed to helping people maintain a healthy smile. One reason we want to help people is that your dental health can be directly linked to your heart health.

Your blood pressure level is one aspect of your life that could be impacted by your dental health. Poor oral hygiene can increase your blood pressure, eventually producing hypertension. Hypertension can lead to many physical issues if not properly managed.

The Hypertension Journal from the American Heart Association finds that people who don’t care for their teeth will be more likely to experience high blood pressure. These include people with periodontal disease where the gums become infected and inflamed.

How does this problem occur?

Bad oral hygiene can produce hypertension from bacteria impacting your bloodstream. The bacteria that enter your gums can eventually enter the bloodstream. The bacteria that appear in the blood near the gums can move to the rest of the body in a few seconds upon entry.

Infections in the gums from poor hygiene can also become a threat. An infection will produce inflammation in the gums. The bacteria that trigger the inflammation can spread to other areas of the body, producing systemic inflammation. The issue can harm a patient’s blood flow.

Other problems from poor hygiene can include bleeding gums and disease. The bleeding can cause some vessels to be visible or open to further bacterial infections. The blood vessels could experience damage if not handled well.

Proper treatment is critical for your health

You will require help maintaining your teeth if you want to avoid hypertension. Proper dental care is necessary, including brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing each day. You’ll also require regular dental cleanings and checks from a dentist in Washington, D.C. Our experts at Washington Center for Dentistry can check your smile and provide the necessary treatments you require to help protect your smile.

You’ll also require the latest technology to help you improve your dental health. Our team at the Washington Center for Dentistry uses the latest technology to improve how well we can monitor and manage your smile. Some of the tools we use include an air-flow polisher to polish your teeth and a laser decay detector to identify possible issues with your smile.

Our work can prevent bacteria from building around your teeth and triggering an infection or other concern. The small blood vessels around your teeth are sensitive and can experience harm if you are not careful. We can check your needs and find a treatment plan that’s right for you.

Contact us about how we can help maintain your dental health

You can trust our team at Washington Center for Dentistry if you’re looking for a dentist in Washington, D.C. who can help you keep your teeth healthy and clean. Our work will help protect your teeth and prevent you from experiencing problems like hypertension. You can visit our office on K Street NW near the McPherson Square station on the Blue, Orange, and Silver Metro lines to learn more. You can also request an appointment with us online. We can assist you with whatever needs you have for dental care.

* All information subject to change. Images may contain models. Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary.