Taking care of your oral health to safeguard your heart might not be fist of your many concerns. However, studies report that paying attention to your oral hygiene would not only give you healthy gums and teeth, it may also lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
How are they related you might ask? Turns out, your dental health & hygiene and heart disease are linked by the spread of germs and bacteria. The bacteria can travel through your mouth to other parts of the body via the bloodstream. The bacteria can then reach any area and cause inflammation. This can lead to conditions like endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart. In some cases, a stroke may also follow. Studies show further potential connection between oral disease and number of serious illness like breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, arthritis, lupus osteoporosis, and others.
According to the doctors, “95% of all teeth that become infected go into a state of chronic infection even though they never become painful and are not always apparent. Furthermore, somewhere between 7-15% of all teeth have some degree of infection. The problem arises when infections are not identifies, the feed chronic inflammation systemically throughout the body, & this is when people get sick.”
Another study reveals the effects of bad brushing habits on heart health. It showed that people who only brush their teeth once in a day are more likely to be in risk. This suggests that brushing your teeth for longer than 2 minutes can help reduce the risk by three-fold. “Gum disease is one of the diseases where the body may be in a sort of continual state of inflammation, and this seems to be a very powerful predictor of cardiovascular disease,” says the study. In other words, inflamed gums and the accompanying bacteria can lead to narrowing of the arteries, restricting the blood flow and thus heightening the risk of heart attack.
Signs to check for gum disease
To keep your heart health in check (through your mouth), make sure your gums are in a healthy state too. Signs to look for potential gum disease include:
- Red, swollen gums
- Sensitivity
- Bad breath
- Receding gums or sunken teeth
Brush well for your Heart
It is important to maintain oral hygiene regardless, but also to reduce chances of gum & potential heart diseases.
Brush your teeth twice a day, everyday with regular flossing to ward off tooth decay and inflammation. Regular use of mouth wash can also help. If you are, however, suffering from moderate or advanced stage of gum disease, consult your dentist who can look for warning signs range of diseases and conditions, including those that might affect your heart.
