Exercise and nutritious eating are at the top of the list when it comes to heart health, but a major system that affects your cardiovascular health is your oral health. Heart health is intimately connected to the state of your teeth and gums. Poor oral hygiene can, in fact, increase a person’s risk of serious heart conditions. Your mouth is the door to your overall health, and your dedication to dental care is too.
How Gum Disease Can Infect the Heart
One of the biggest oral health problems is gum disease which starts small as gingivitis with swollen and red gums. It’s easy to assume this kind of discomfort will fade, but once it develops it only disappears when treated. That means untreated gum disease can turn into periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease. The result? Deteriorating gum tissues, loosening teeth, and tooth loss.
What does this have to do with the heart? There is a direct correlation between tooth loss and coronary heart disease. The bacteria responsible for gum disease do not stay in the mouth. It eventually enters the bloodstream and creates inflammation throughout the body leading to:
- Damaged lining in blood vessels
- Blocked or narrowed arteries
- Plaque buildup
- Blood clots
Any of these factors can significantly increase the chances of heart attack and stroke. Chronic gum disease also puts a person at higher risk of a cardiac episode.
Gum Inflammation Can Lead to Heart Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is a leading component of heart disease. If your gums are inflamed, it’s a good indication of the rest of your body’s inflammatory state – and an important signal that you are overdue for a visit to your Red Bank dentist.
It can be daunting to go to the dentist when you are dealing with a potentially acute oral health problem, but the only person who can diagnose and help you manage the issue at hand is a professional. It’s not just your teeth and gums at stake here – it’s your whole well-being. Expect targeted, intense dental care to make sure your oral health gets back on track.
- Scaling and root planning. Gum disease treatment begins with a deep cleaning of the teeth and gums, eliminating gum disease. Catching gingivitis early can protect you from advanced gum disease and negative heart consequences.
- Teeth cleaning. You may think you need gum disease treatment then discover a normal teeth cleaning is enough to tend to your oral health, especially if you haven’t been to the dentist regularly. Your dentist will let you know and will always err on the side of caution to prevent bigger problems from developing.
- Emergency dentistry. When gum health deteriorates, it will lead to extreme discomfort, pain, and infection that can even precede the need to visit an emergency room for your heart, let alone emergency dental care
Get the Dental Care You Need in Red Bank
Chronic inflammation does not stay localized and spreads through the bloodstream to other organs – including the heart. Older adults, diabetics, smokers, and people with poor oral hygiene are at greater risk of gum disease and heart issues. Let your dentist do her part in keeping you healthy. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Carole Sherrod Jewell and her team at Red Bank Dentistry.
