Heart Health & Oral Health - What's the Connection?
We are laughing into 2020!
People use the beginning of a new year as a time to press the restart button. Although we gals think any day is a great day to set new goals and intentions, we are all for New Year resolutions in which you make it a priority to take care of yourself!
At the center of our overall health is our heart. Did you know that for years researchers have been trying to solve the link between gum disease and heart disease? Let us break it down for you:
Gum disease is inflammation of the gums and the surrounding bone which houses your teeth due to bacteria. Similarly, heart disease is the inflammation of the heart’s arteries. In some studies, people with heart disease have been found with traces of oral bacteria in their arteries, leading researchers to believe the bacteria from your mouth can travel through your body to your heart vessels causing an increased risk for cardiac episodes such as heart attacks and strokes. Findings such as these strengthen the relationship between gum disease and heart disease.
Here’s the conclusion: Many studies have linked gum disease to heart disease, however further research is needed to confirm if gum disease can actually CAUSE heart disease. From the way the research is heading, it seems likely.
Your heart is at the centre of it all, but taking care of your teeth means taking care of your heart.
Image via Pinterest.
What does that mean for you? Daily brushing and flossing along with regular hygiene appointments at your dentist can prevent and even reverse early stages of gum disease! Now if only you knew a fantastic dental office with amazing ladies that you could come to in order to have your teeth cleaned and help you control your gum disease… Oh wait! You do, us! Let us gals at Niverville Heritage Dental educate you about gum disease, help you combat it and show you the proper way of brushing and flossing. We know now that oral health is somehow connected to overall health, so take care of your heart, teeth, and everything in between. Click here to book an appointment.
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/gum-disease-and-heart-disease-the-common-thread