Do you think your mouth and heart have nothing much in common? Would you be surprised to learn evidence reveals they might be linked closely? Researchers believe the bacteria responsible for gum disease can enter the bloodstream to move throughout your body.
Bacteria from gum disease entering your bloodstream causes inflammation in the heart’s valves besides problems in them. The information could affect plenty of people. A groundbreaking study by the CDC mentions that nearly 50 percent of Americans over 30 and 70 percent over 65 are affected by some stage of periodontal disease.
Inflammation can result from various reasons and sources. Therefore let us delve into the potential risks of gum infections to your heart health.
Research reveals an association between periodontal disease that precedes heart attacks, strokes, and unexpected vascular events. However, the precise nature of the reasons and effects of the relationship is unclear.
As inflammation has different reasons and sources, proving it emanates from a single source becomes challenging. For example, in some people, blood vessel inflammation in the heart results from inflammation caused by the tissues of the gums building up in the arteries. When left untreated, the bacterial deposits narrow the arteries or break and loosen to clog them, resulting in a heart attack or stroke.
The risks increase significantly with the addition of LDL cholesterol to the mix. In addition, researchers have discovered mouth bacteria in the fatty deposits of people with atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition that develops with plaque building up in the arteries.
People with disease of heart valves are at high risk when periodontal disease is present. The bacteria living in the mouth of people affected by periodontal disease can enter the bloodstream and heart and infect the susceptible heart valves. The condition is concerning in patients with artificial heart valves.
Bloodstream infections affecting people with heart valves need prompt attention from a cardiologist, which is easily avoidable by caring for the gums and visiting dentists for checkups and cleanings.
Fortunately, preventing and treating early periodontal disease gingivitis is straightforward. However, whether having heart disease or not, you must receive regular dental cleanings as part of preventive care at intervals suggested by the dentist near me.
An excellent oral hygiene routine incorporating daily brushing twice and flossing at least once with a visit to the nearby dentist every six months for an examination and cleaning are essential preventive measures against gingivitis.
Everyone should receive examinations from the dental office, like medical health checkups, for problems like high blood pressure that does not make its presence felt until it is too late. Even after brushing and flossing, as suggested by the dentist is essential to have the practitioner assess your oral health because you might need additional treatments.
If you have not gone to the dentist in Gilbert for quite some time, you can perform a brief exam of your gums standing in front of a mirror. While the symptoms of this condition don’t make themselves prevalent until they advance, the American Academy of periodontology mentions noticeable warning signs become evident.
When maintaining oral care, you can look for the warning signs of periodontal disease, including red, swollen, or tender gums, bleeding gums when brushing and flossing or eating challenging foods, loosening or separated teeth, and persistent lousy breath.
If you have the above symptoms, you must schedule a visit to the Gilbert dentist to seek a remedy for the problem. However, when you manage periodontal disease correctly, your heart does not remain vulnerable to its risks and returns to normal, confirm experts.
However, if you already have the consequences of periodontal disease, they need separate addressing. For example, if your periodontal disease has reached the heart valve, it requires a different treatment. If the heart valve is damaged, the cardiologist may consider replacing or fixing it. Therefore in such circumstances, you can expect the heart specialist to send you to a dentist to evaluate the infection with your gums to assess whether the bacteria has reached your heart.
Gum disease is not challenging to prevent or avoid. All it requires is excellent dental hygiene and regular visits to your dentist for exams and cleanings for dental plaque and hardened tartar removal to help prevent an infection that can affect your entire body. Furthermore, exams and cleanings don’t cost you a dime if you possess dental insurance, but treating heart disease will leave you with considerable financial concerns even after visiting a cardiologist to assess yourself.
If you think your heart and mouth have nothing in common, we suggest you start thinking differently. If you have been avoiding visits to Coral Pointe Dental & Orthodontics for exams and cleanings, arrange a meeting today to prevent periodontal disease from affecting your mouth.
