How Oral Health is Linked to Acne

Theresa Porter General Dentistry

Oral Health

Acne is a skin condition that causes pimples to appear on the face, back, and chest. Although it is often thought to be hormonal or hereditary, it can also be caused by poor oral health. This is because the mouth and throat is home to some of the bacteria found in acne. Those experiencing an outbreak of acne on their face are recommended to seek out family dental care to help resolve the issue.

However, figuring out the exact cause can be difficult. Hormonal changes during adolescence may trigger a lapse in oral health, whereas complications such as periodontitis can also be traced back to genetics. It could even be something as simple as how you structure your morning routine. It’s worth exploring the links between oral health and acne to assess which course of action to take.

Cleaning Your Teeth

Something as simple as when you clean your teeth can be the answer in many cases where an outbreak of acne occurs on the face. Depending on your morning routine, you may wash your face before or after you brush your teeth. If you brush your teeth after you wash your face, you could be transmitting bacteria from inside your mouth to the skin around it, carried by the lather produced by your toothpaste.

To avoid an outbreak, experts recommend washing your face after brushing your teeth to ensure you remove any traces of these bacteria from your skin.

Hormonal Changes and Oral Disease

During adolescence, the body begins to produce a higher level of androgens, hormones related to reproductive activity. Unstable androgen levels can also lead to periodontitis which is the inflammation of the gums. Dentists have diagnosed an estimated five hundred million people with the condition, and they usually discover it before it can cause any real damage.

Nevertheless, it has the potential to exacerbate acne because of an increase in the number of bacteria present in the mouth. If you’re suffering from acne, it may be worth checking for symptoms of periodontal disease.

Oral Disease

Stress and Anxious Behavior

Not only does stress-related inflammation inhibit the functionality of the immune system — which can itself lead to poor oral health — but it can cause a person to exhibit anxious behavior like biting their lips or chewing the inside of their cheeks. Both these habits can transmit bacteria from the mouth to the face, which could potentially lead to an outbreak of acne.

Many patients find their acne vanishes once their dentist removes an infected tooth or they receive treatment for other oral conditions such as periodontitis or gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. This lends credence to the correlation between acne and poor oral health.

If you want to know more about the links between acne and oral health, seek out family dental care in Michigan. If you’re suffering from acne, your dentist may not be your first port of call, but they might be able to help you resolve your acne outbreak.

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