Vision and dental: the two things most medical insurance won’t cover. Must mean it’s not that important to keep them healthy, right? Nothing could be further from the truth! Dental health has potentially massive impacts on your whole-body wellness, and the health of your eyesight is extremely sensitive to health problems elsewhere in your body. Perhaps surprisingly, they’ve got even more in common. Your dental health can affect your eyes!

Dental Infections Can Compromise Eye Health

Many of us are already aware that periodontal disease and oral bacteria can affect other parts of the body. Some of us may even be aware that untreated dental infections can travel to the brain and heart and cause death. Tooth loss has been shows to increase your risks for cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. But did you know dental infections can cause vision loss, too?

A 2016 study, supported by ongoing research, showed that tooth loss within the previous two years could increase risk for vision problems by 1.5-fold (about a 50% increase). Tooth loss coupled with active periodontal disease raises that risk by 1.85-fold!

How does this happen? The current understanding is that microbes and compounds that cause inflammation, which are present in higher concentrations in patients with periodontal disease, can travel to the optic nerve and the microscopic blood vessels that supply the eyes. In turn, this can compromise some of the cells responsible for visual health. Periodontal disease and tooth loss specifically lead to a condition called primary open-angle glaucoma, or POAG. POAG can cause eye pain, headaches, cloudy vision, and vision loss.

Worryingly, many patients do not become aware anything is wrong until glaucoma becomes very advanced. In fact, about half of the 3 million Americans with glaucoma don’t know they have it.

The Indirect Ways Dental Health Can Affect Your Eyes

There are other, less direct ways dental health can affect your eyes. There is a pretty clear consensus that poor oral health increases risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Patients with severe gum disease may be twice as likely to have higher blood pressure as well! In turn, high blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. This can lead to bleeding in the eye, blurred vision, and even complete vision loss. The blood vessels in the eye are so sensitive to changes in health that vascular disease can sometimes be diagnosed by carefully examining the tiny blood vessels inside the eye during any routine eye exam.

On the flip side, there are many systemic diseases that affect both dental heath and eye health. Diabetes is a primary example. Patients with diabetes have more sugar in their saliva, meaning they’re at higher risk for decay and oral health problems. Likewise, diabetes can negatively impact visual health and even cause blindness. That’s why it’s vital for all patients with a chronic health issue to stay especially vigilant of both their dental and visual health.

Lots in Common: Vision and Dental Health Often Overlap!

When it comes to dental health and your eyes, prevention is key. Fortunately, healthy habits for these two areas overlap!

• Get regular check-ups. Both dental health and vision are best supported with regular check-ups. For most patients, that means twice-yearly dental cleanings and health exams, and about every 2-5 years for your eyes. Of course, the interval for vision checks will vary widely depending on whether you need glasses or have other issues, as well as by age. Likewise, some patients will benefit from more frequent cleanings and dental health checks! Your doctors will let you know the best routine for your specific health concerns, and it all starts with that first visit.
• Eat a healthy diet. There are plenty of foods that promote dental health. Most of us know the basics: eat your veggies, and avoid sugar, right? There are also lots of vitamins and minerals that specifically enhance both dental and eye health! Seek out foods with plenty of Vitamin C, Zinc, Folate, Lutein, and Vitamin E. (Protip: unsurprisingly, you’re looking for leafy greens, nuts, fruits… you know, the usuals!)
• Avoid tobacco products. We know, we know. We harp on this one a lot. But more and more research has revealed just how damaging tobacco use can be, sometimes in ways we don’t think about! Tobacco has obvious dental health risks. Oral cancer to say the lease. But tobacco also constricts the blood vessels in the gums, leading to severe gum disease, recession, and dry mouth. This same mechanism can also compromise your eyes. Smoking also increases your risks for macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and Dry Eye Syndrome. Plus, it makes your breath smell bad, so all the reasons in the world to start quitting today!

Great dental care is about more than just giving you a pretty smile. (Although we’re proud to do that, too!) We also work hard to monitor your overall wellness. Here at Lake Baldwin Dental, we know how oral health can impact the rest of your body. That’s why your team is dedicated to staying alert to oral health problems that could affect other body systems, including your vision! Protect your eyes by keeping your teeth healthy, Orlando!