The heart and mouth Connection

How heart disease and oral health are linked

Current WHO projections suggest that India will have the largest cardiovascular disease burden in the world. Did you know that heart disease and oral health are linked? There are two different connection between heart disease and your oral health:

• Studies have shown that people with moderate or advanced gum (periodontal) disease are more likely to have heart disease than those with healthy gums.
• Oral health holds clues to overall health. Studies have shown that oral health can provide warning signs for other disease or conditions including heart disease.

How gum disease increases risk of heart attacks

Because the mouth is a pathway to the body, people who have chronic gum disease are at a higher risk for heart attack, according to the academy of General Dentistry (AGD), USA. Gum disease (called gingivitis in its early stages and periodontal disease in the large stages) is caused by plaque build-up.

Some researchers have suggested that gum disease may contribute to heart disease because bacteria from infected gum can dislodge enter the bloodstream, attach to blood vessels and increase clot formation. It has also been suggested that inflammation caused by gum disease may also trigger clot formation. Clots decrease blood flow to the heart there by causing an elevation in blood pressure and increasing the risk of a heart attack.

Risk Factors

Studies have not established that either heart disease or gum disease actually causes the other. This is difficult task because many of the risk factors for gum disease are the same as those for heart disease:

• Cigarette smoking
• Poor nutrition
• Diabetes
• Being male

How Oral Health Warns about heart disease

More than 90% of all systemic disease including heart disease have oral symptoms research suggests. In addition dentists car help patients with a history of heart disease by examining them for any signs of oral pain, infection or inflammation. According to the AGD Proper Diagnosis and treatment of tooth have gum infection in some of these patients have led to a decrease in blood pressure medications and improved overall health.

Warning signs for gum disease

Gum disease affects 80% if Indians. Warning signs that you may have gum disease include:

• Red, tender or swollen gums
• Bleeding gums while brushing of flossing
• Gums that seem to be pulling away from your teeth.
• Chronic bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
• Teeth that are loose or are separating from each other

If you have heart disease

• Establish and maintain a healthy mouth. This means brushing and flossing daily and vising your dentists regularly
• Make sure your dentist knows you have a heart problem and share your complete medical history, including any medications you are currently taking.
• Carefully follow your physician’s and dentist’s instructions about health care, inicluding using prescription medications such as antibiotics, as directed.

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