Heart Disease And Gum Disease

Are heart disease and gum disease related? There is mounting evidence that they are. It seems that when there is calcification of the arteries there is calcification of the teeth, and when the teeth calcify the arteries do too.

The American Academy of periodontology says on it's website that several theories exist to explain the link between (periodontal) gum disease and heart disease.

One theory is that oral bacteria can affect the heart when they enter the blood stream, attaching to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries (heart blood vessels) and contributing to clot formation.

Coronary artery disease is characterized by a thickening of the walls of the coronary arteries due to the buildup of fatty proteins. Blood clots can obstruct normal blood flow, restricting the amount of nutrients and oxygen required for the heart to function properly. This may lead to heart attacks.

Another possibility for the link between gum disease and heart disease is that the inflammation caused by periodontal disease increases plaque build up, which may contribute to swelling of the arteries. Researchers have found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can also exacerbate existing heart conditions.

These are two articles that I found that discuss the link between gum disease and heart disease .

Your Dentist Might Stop Your Next Heart Attack by Ken Kowalsky

As the Webmaster for a site dedicated to helping people save money when they go to the dentist, I find myself having to consistently fight two different and distinct battles; one against the average Americans reluctance to pay the high cost of modern dental care and the other is the same Americans belief that seeing a dentist regularly just isn't that important.

The first battle I have a decent chance of winning but the second battle I've had to throw my hands up in surrender; I mean if someone doesn't care about their teeth enough to have them taken care of by a dentist, what can I possibly say to convince them otherwise?

How about this; "Did you know that your next visit to the dentist could prevent a heart attack?"

Medical researchers have known for years now that there's a definite link between gum disease (i.e. gingivitis) and persons' risk for a heart disease Evidence is mounting, however, that information gleaned from a routine panoramic dental X-rays-wide-angle frontal images --taken to establish the baseline condition of teeth and surrounding bone-- may serve as an accurate early-warning system of risk of dying from heart attack or stroke.

According to researchers at the University of Buffalo School of Dental medicine, a study of 818 teeth and jaw x-rays of Pima Indians in Arizona found that those who had a build-up of calcified plaque in the carotid arteries were twice as likely to die from heart attack or stroke. Normally, calcified plaque is present in only about 3 percent of the general population.

An earlier study of 2,700 dental patients showed calcium deposits on each side of the carotid arteries can be spotted in x-rays of the teeth and jaw bone.

It makes sense that the dental x-rays would see the carotid artery --which carries blood from the heart to the brain and back-- so dentists should be aware that it is screening tool for cardiovascular disease. If they see signs of calcification in dental x-rays, they tell the patient to see his or her doctor ASAP.

BOTTOM LINE: Most dental insurance plans allow you a yearly dental exam at little or no cost so schedule a complete check-up, including x-rays, with your dentist ASAP. If you don't have dental insurance, consider enrolling in a discount dental plan that fits your budget and then go see a dentist ASAP.

About The Author
Kenneth Kowalsky is the webmaster of DiscountDental4U.net, a web site devoted to helping people to save money on dental care, including advice on choosing the best dental plan for you, inexpensive tips on easing toothache pain, little-known ways to lower your dentist bills, etc.

Gum Disease Linked To Heart Illness As reported by Tim Friend of USA TODAY

The most common strain of bacteria in dental plaque can cause blood clots that induce heart attacks when they escape into the bloodstream, researchers reported back in the year 2000. Mark Herzberg of the University of Minnesota said the findings are the first to link bacteria to the formation of potentially fatal blood clots.

Previous studies had found the incidence of heart disease is about twice as high in people with periodontal disease, but scientists didn't know why. "Now we show a potential biological reason," Herzberg told the 150th annual meeting of American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In lab tests, Herzberg and colleagues injected bacteria from dental plaque into the bloodstream of rabbits. The bacteria caused blood clots to form within minutes. Rabbits are a proven model for testing hypotheses about human heart disease and heart attacks.

Chronic inflammation of the gums due to plaque could also be involved in the inflammation of the lining of the blood vessels that is known to lead to the build-up of plaque in the arteries, Herzberg said.

These are things that you can do to avoid the risk of developing heart disease and begin living a healthy lifestyle.

• Diet and proper nutrition eating heart healthy foods such as soy, almonds and nuts that are known to lower cholesterol levels.

• Losing weight and keeping the weight off through any type of diet program that fits your personality. and start losing weight the healthy way.

• Exercising doing cardiovascular exercises and resistance exercises. Don't wait for a heart attack to occur before deciding to exercise. If You need advice on how to start you can ask the advice of online personal trainers, they can instruct you on what activities are considered to be a proper aerobic exercise for heart health.

• Quitting smoking

• Reducing stress through various relaxation techniques

• Controlling your blood pressure, through diets exercises, relaxation, vitamins and medications if the need arises

• Reducing your cholesterol levels through exercise, vitamins, natural cures, and statins if prescribed to do so by your doctor.

Why wait till its too late, begin living a heart healthy lifestyle now. and start doing aerobic exercises for heart health.

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