For decades, doctors have been talking about the potential connection between heart health and oral health. And it appears that heart disease and poor oral health do have a relationship. But how? The biggest reason is inflammation. When you don’t care for your mouth and teeth properly, you’re setting yourself up for sore, swollen gums. And when swelling and inflammation occur, it can harden your arteries, making it more difficult for blood to flow to your heart. The result is an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
How Poor Dental Health Affects Your Heart
The two main types of gum disease are gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis causes tender, red, painful gums; periodontitis causes infected pockets of germ-filled pus. Periodontitis allows bacteria and other toxins to fester below the gum line, and these bacteria can travel to your bloodstream and trigger inflammation throughout your body, as well as damage to your blood vessels, including those in your heart.
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease can’t be prevented simply by maintaining healthy gums alone, but getting regular dental checkups is still essential to your overall health. And if you do have gum disease, it’s crucial that you see your dentist regularly to manage the condition and treat the symptoms. To be sure you’re doing all you can for a healthy mouth AND a healthy body, make it a point to brush twice a day and floss regularly. Then you’ll know you’re doing the best you can to maintain a clean and healthy mouth while perhaps keeping your heart healthy, too.
Schedule a Consultation
To learn more about keeping your mouth healthy, we welcome the opportunity to meet with you. To schedule an appointment, please contact Scott T. LeSueur, DDS & Charles A Dodaro, DDS online or by calling our Mesa office at (480) 834-6991 today. We serve Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, and all surrounding Arizona communities.