Gum Disease Can Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease
The link between heart disease and gum disease (periodontal disease) has been studied for several years. The initial discovery of gum disease involved the development of a type of film that builds up around your teeth, now known as plaque. Plaque is full of bacteria, damaging the teeth and gums. However, there is another type of plaque that can begin to build up inside your arteries. This type of plaque is known as cholesterol, fat, calcium and other substances. Once this type of plaque forms in the arteries, you have the beginnings of a coronary artery disease.
Those who have gum disease are 2-3 times more likely to be at risk for stroke, heart attack and other serious heart related problems. Of course, there are other risk factors that can worsen the risk, such as; smoking, poor diet and alcohol consumption.However, more evidence is beginning to point out that gum disease is a separate risk factor when it comes to heart disease.
Inflammation Connection
Researchers have supported the observation that gum disease will increase the body’s burden when it comes to inflammation. When you refer to short-term inflammation (acute inflammation), you are talking about the body’s creation of immune cells that will attack the invading organisms. However, when you talk about long-term inflammation (chronic), you are considering a potential relationship to many different health problems. One of these is heart disease.
In one study, a comparison was made between those individuals who had both heart disease and gum disease. The results of the study concluded that those who had received effective gum disease care had heart disease expenses that were up to 40% lower than those who didn’t receive effective oral care.
Upon reviewing the evidence collected by the studies, both the American Heart Association and the American Dental Association confirmed that there is a relationship between gum disease and heart disease.
Symptoms and Outlook
Overall, regularly scheduled appointments with your dentist can lower your chances for gum disease. But it is also important that you inform your dentist of any gum disease symptoms that you may have been experiencing such as:
Loose teeth
Drifting teeth or receding gums
Sensitive teeth
Pain when chewing
Bleeding gums
Red and/or swollen gums
Chronic bad breath
Symptoms of Heart Disease
If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to pay a visit to your doctor as soon as possible.
Sudden impaired thinking or confusion
Becoming lightheaded or dizzy
Being unexpectedly tired
Having shortness of breath
Irregular heartbeat
Chest pain
In any case, it’s been universally acknowledged that the best way to prevent the potential effects of gum disease is to schedule regular appointments with your dentist. By ensuring that your oral health is maintained properly, you can also be working towards eliminating one of the potential causes for heart disease.
If you are concerned about your gums or risk of heart disease book a consultation with Dr Kate Amos or Dr Sam Rosehill at Ethical Dental on 6652 3185 or book online. To find how often you should be visiting your dentist for a check up read our article How Often Should I See My Dentist?
