Is Bleeding Gums Linked to Erectile Dysfunction?

We all know that bad breath and bleeding gums can be a complete turnoff for your partner! But there are certain other disaster waiting for you if you suffer from bleeding gums and if you are a male. A recent study reveals that Periodontitis (inflation or infection of the gums) may not only affect your oral health but it can also jeopardize your sexual life as well. This inflation can result in Erectile Dysfunction(ED) in men, which is not at all great news for sexually active men.

Erectile Dysfunction related to diabetes, heart diseases and obesity was very much linked to erectile dysfunction and it was proved scientifically, but the link between ED and Periodontitis was never known until a researcher claimed so. A Study was conducted on rats which eventually showed that periodontitis weakened erection ability. The result also corroborates outcome of earlier study which concluded that periodontitis was common in men who were suffering from Erectile Dysfunction than men without erectile dysfunction. The researchers also stated that "Identifying and treating periodontitis in the patient presenting with or without erectile dysfunction, may improve the patient’s overall sexual health.”

Many other scientist don’t seem to be much convinced with this link of ED and bleeding gums, instead they claim that periodontitis may be an indicator of overall poor health, which increases the risk of erectile dysfunction. Conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes have also been linked with erectile dysfunction. The researchers were unable to understand the direct link between bleeding gums and Erectile Dysfunction, but periodontitis has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, and, heart disease has been linked with erectile dysfunction. The researchers wondered whether periodontitis might be directly tied to erectile dysfunction, and how the two might be connected. When this study was conducted on rats they found out that periodontitis augmented the inflammation in the rats. Normally “Inflammation” is said to be the immune response of the body and is beneficial to fight against infection, but high levels of this condition is bad for the overall health.

The rats which were suffering from periodontitis were found to have less of an enzyme called as “eNOS”, which is required to achieve an erection. These enzymes have the capability to produce nitric oxide which subsequently relaxes the blood vessels and increases the flow to the penile region. So the inflammation produced by periodontitis may actually decreases the levels of nitric oxide which then interferes with erection. The Role of Inflammation in causing erectile dysfunction was really a surprise to many researchers, so a study was conducted. Role of inflammation. The study is "one of the first indications that inflammation could have a negative impact on erectile function," said one of the scientist who is an infertility expert and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study.

Earlier studies have found the men with erectile dysfunction have higher levels of certain inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein, in their bodies. Inflammation is also thought to play a role in heart disease, so it may be a common factor in periodontitis, heart disease and erectile dysfunction so bleeding gum can result into heart disease and heart disease can lead to Erectile Dysfunction. Though a convincing study has yet not been documented whether bleeding gums is directly responsible for erectile dysfunction, but the same can’t be ignored as well.