Bad Oral Health Can Ruin Romantic Relationships

By Sondra Forsyth

Maybe the sexual flame is waning. Maybe your sex life is really good but you wish it could be even better. Forget the sex toys, lotions, pills, videos, role playing and whatever else you’re trying, and take a good look inside your mouth.  Bad oral health can lead to bad sex!

Dr. Susan Maples, author of Blabber Mouth! 77 Secrets Only Your Mouth Can Tell You To Live a Healthier, Happier, Sexier Life, who has been named one of the top eight innovators in U.S. dentistry, says the mouth can provide important clues about the status of your sexual health and satisfaction.

Here’s how:

Erectile dysfunction: floss or be flaccid?  Erectile dysfunction is associated with gum disease. That doesn’t mean not flossing will make you flaccid, but because there is a link, it’s one of the most convincing arguments for men to take good care of their teeth and gums.

Bad breath: is it something I ate?

Nothing ruins a romantic moment faster than a slow lean-in for a kiss followed by a fast lean-out for a breath of fresh air. Short-term bad breath is usually caused by something you ate. But long-term bad breath means your oral or overall health is at risk.

Chapped lips: not so sexy.

Puckering up is the universal sign for romance. But dry, sore, cracked lips do nothing for your love life – and they could mean more serious trouble from diabetes to autoimmune diseases.  See your doctor or dentist if the problem persists for a few weeks and there is no obvious cause like cold weather, wind or sun.

Snoring: The sexual buzzkill.

The number-one reasons couples sleep apart: snoring.  Not only can snoringimpact your sex life because you’re not in the same bed as your partner, but thesleep deprivation that comes from constantly being woken by snoring increases your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Talk to your dentist and physician about ways to reduce snoring.

Cold sores (aka Herpes):

A cold sore usually occurs on the lip or near where it is first contracted from another person, and are usually caused by the herpes simplex I virus whichis highly contagious. If someone with a cold sore performs oral sex, this can spread HSV-1 to the genitals and cause herpes sores there. Once you experience an episode, the virus is yours forever. There is no cure. We can only treat the symptoms.

Oral cancer and HPV:

The risk of oral cancer does not increase simply from having sex but rather from transmission of certain high-risk types of HPV through intimate contact. Actor Michael Douglas is one such example, who said his cancer was caused by HPV, which can be contracted through oral sex. Smoking and drinking put you at an increased risk. Find out if you’re infected with HPV, get an oral cancer screening from your dentist, stop smoking/chewing and drink in moderation.