February might be most well-known for Valentine’s Day, but did you know that it’s also American Heart Month? Now is a great time to learn how you can keep your heart healthy! You’ve probably already heard about the importance of eating nutritious foods and getting plenty of sleep and exercise. But your oral health also influences your heart. Specifically, gum disease has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular problems. Read on to learn more about this connection and what you can do to keep your smile (and your heart) in great shape!
How the Health of Your Gums Affects Your Heart
In recent years, several studies have demonstrated a link between heart disease and gum disease, the latter being the most common oral health condition in the United States. The CDC estimates that about half of all adults in the U.S. currently have gum disease to some extent.
If gum disease is caught in the early stages, where symptoms include swollen or bleeding gums, the condition can often be reversed with improved oral hygiene. As the disease progresses, however, bacteria begin to irreversibly damage the gums and jawbone. At that point, the disease cannot be cured; it can only be managed.
Once these bacteria have built up in your mouth, they become increasingly likely to access your bloodstream. From there, they can wreak havoc on the rest of your body, including your heart. The toxins and inflammation that occur as a result of the infection can cause your blood vessels to narrow. This increases the chance that a blood clot forming, and subsequently, a heart attack occurring. In fact, people who have gum disease are two to three times more likely to experience a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular events.
Tips for Protecting Your Heart & Your Smile
Luckily, avoiding gum disease is fairly easy for most people. Just keep these tips in mind:
- Know your risk factors – Diet, age, overall health conditions, and genetics could all affect your likelihood of developing gum disease. If you’re aware of any possible risk factors for gum disease, bring them up the next time you see your dentist.
- Don’t skip out on routine dental visits – Regular dental checkups and cleanings are crucial when it comes to diagnosing gum disease early on, before it has the chance to cause lasting harm.
- Take the time to floss every day – Flossing is the only way to get rid of food particles and bacteria in the spaces between your teeth. Without flossing, the debris could contribute to an infection.
- Quit smoking – If you currently use tobacco, take small steps to kick the habit. Research suggests that smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to develop gum disease.
February is the perfect time of year to focus on keeping your heart healthy, and one easy way to do that is to minimize your risk for gum disease. If you have any further questions, your dentist would be happy to help!
About the Author
Dr. Deval Parmar is a dentist in Frisco, TX with more than 13 years of experience in the field of dentistry. With her calm demeanor and focus on patient education, she makes it easy for patients to prevent gum disease. However, she offers safe and effective gum disease therapy for patients who need it. To learn more about maintaining healthy gums, you can reach out to Dr. Parmar by calling her practice, Archway Dental, at 972-972-4646.