Infection from Gum Disease and Tooth Decay Can Make You Sick

In 2018, it was discovered that patients taking hypertension medications were unable to achieve blood pressure control when they had poor oral health. Overall, systolic blood pressure climbed as oral health declined. A little neglect had a large impact: Those with inflamed gums-the first step toward gum disease-were 20 percent less likely to reach their target blood pressure than those with good oral health. Systemic inflammation is the likely culprit.