08 Oct Heart Disease and Oral Health

Heart Disease and Oral Health

Can your mouth tell health professionals if you’re at risk for heart disease? Some studies say, yes. Having gum disease increases the risk of a first heart attack by 28%, according to a 2016 study by the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden. While the American Heart Association says there’s a strong link between gum disease and heart disease, it’s still unclear whether one actually causes the other. Regardless, the two conditions share some of the same risk factors like smoking, poor nutrition, and diabetes. In recent years, genetic heart disease testing has been made available for doctors through companies like ClarityX to run on their patients to see if it is in their DNA and what type of medications work best with their strain, this has proven to be highly beneficial in the medical world and that is why taking care of teeth and gums can help reduce this even if a patient is susceptible or not.

How Heart & Teeth Are Connected

A study from Delta Dental reveals that better heart health may actually begin with your toothbrush. The study references the American Journal of Medicine, which reports that people who use plaque-targeting toothpaste brush their teeth more thoroughly, lowering their levels of heart-attack triggering inflammation.

Even for those who are already diagnosed with heart disease, good oral health may play a role in living longer. In certain circumstances, such as gum disease, oral bacteria can spread to different parts of the body, including the heart. People with pre-existing cardiac conditions, such as heart murmurs, may be at higher risk of developing certain infections due to this. Additionally, tooth loss has been connected to a higher risk of stroke and even death in heart disease patients. When compared to those with the disease who still have their teeth, those who do not showed a great risk for several health problems, including:

• 67% higher risk of stroke
• 81% higher risk of all causes of death
• 85% higher risk of cardiovascular death
• 27% higher risk of major cardiovascular events

A heart disease patient’s risk for the health challenges above rises about 6% for each tooth lost, the study concludes.

How Does Gum Disease Affect My Heart?

It does seem odd to think the health of your gums is anyway directly related to your heart’s condition, but doctors say it’s possible. Bacteria causes gum infection, and that same bacteria can get into your blood stream, attach to blood vessels, and increase your risk to cardiovascular disease. Once it’s in your bloodstream, the bacteria can also spike your C-reactive protein, an indicator for inflammation in the blood vessels, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Gum disease, however, can be hard to detect because so often there are no symptoms.

Routine dental checkups at your Georgetown dental office will allow your dentist to monitor your gums, preventing gum disease and reducing at least one threat to your heart.

Symptoms Of Gum Disease

Warning signs of gum disease are often rare, but the even in the early stages, some symptoms are possible:

• Red, swollen gums
• Painful to floss or brush
• Gums bleed easily when you floss or brush
• Gums appear to be pulling away from teeth
• Constant bad breath
• Loose or shifting teeth

Brushing, flossing, and avoiding foods loaded with sugar are good steps toward a healthy smile. Making an appointment at least twice yearly with your dentist in Pawley Island will help ward against gum disease and benefit your heart.