Have you heard? Keeping your gums healthy may keep your heart healthy! Doctors, Dentists and Researchers have been investigating a link between Periodontal Disease and Coronary Heart Disease and they’ve come up with some very interesting findings.
Gum disease is shockingly common in the USA these days. The CDC and the American Academy of Periodontology report that nearly HALF of the US is afflicted.
Gum Disease comes in 2 flavors (not vanilla and chocolate):
Gingivitis – which refers to inflammation of the gums.
Periodontitis – the Bigger, Badder cousin of gingivitis. It refers to the process where inflammation starts to creep beyond the gums, into the periodontal ligament, the tissue that holds your teeth in the bone. Periodontal disease causes gum recession and bone loss.
The common thread in both of these maladies is inflammation. A little bit of inflammation can be a good thing – it is how the body heals wounds and repairs damage. The signalling chemicals that our body uses to recruit healing factors get into the blood and spread through the body. When inflammation persists for weeks or months, it is called chronic. Chronic inflammation starts to effect every part of the body, in fact, it can even affect your DNA by changing epigenetic regulation[b]. Both Gingivitis and Periodontitis are chronic inflammatory conditions and it is important that you keep your mouth healthy!
Blood vessels are very susceptible to damage from inflammation. In your blood vessels, inflammation causes fibrosis and formation of plaques made of cholesterol, calcium, cellular debris and other things you don’t want hanging around your blood vessels (Atherosclerosis). Plaques increase your chances for heart attack as well as other diseases of the vessels including peripheral artery disease and stroke.
Now, here’s the upshot. Evidence has been mounting for years and in a recent analysis, researchers have concluded that Gum Disease is an independent risk factor for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)[a]. This means that skipping dentist visits isn’t just breaking your dentists heart, it could be breaking your own.
Don’t dismay, there’s good news. Gum Disease is preventable; inflammation is reversible. Simple things you can start doing right now that may reduce your systemic inflammation and even your chance for CHD:
- Brushing Twice a Day
- Flossing
- Visit your dentist twice a year
At Honest Dental, we screen all of our patients for gingivitis and periodontitis. Your gums will get the personalized attention they deserve. With our help, you’ll be able to get your Gum Disease under control. Check out our website – HonestDentalCO.com – and call for an appointment today.