What’s the Connection Between Oral Health and Your Heart?

What does gum disease have to do with oral health and your heart?

Did you know that there’s a link between gum disease, oral health and your heart? What many of our Peoria patients aren’t aware of, is that maintaining healthy gums helps stop inflammation and infection from harming the rest of the body.
Studies show that gum disease is correlated with heart disease. Scientists have found that infection can spread from the mouth to the bloodstream, where it may affect your heart health. Gum disease can also cause existing heart conditions to get worse. If you suffer from heart problems, you may need antibiotics to prevent infection before you undergo dental procedures.

Stopping gum disease before it starts

First, how do you know if you have gum disease? If your gum disease is in its early stages, you might not show any signs. However, the following symptoms may indicate a problem:

• Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
• Persistent bad breath
• Loose or lost teeth
• Any change in how your teeth fit when you bite
• Change in the fit of partial dentures

Oral health and your heart rely on disease-free gums!

Preventing gum disease before it starts is one of the wisest health decisions you can make! Here’s what we recommend:

• Eat a healthy diet full of leafy green vegetables, crunchy fruits such as apples and carrots, as well as calcium-rich foods like cheese and almonds. All these foods support strong, healthy teeth and gums that are resilient to disease.
• Drink plenty of water to flush away food particles and plaque; drinking lots of water also helps keep healthy levels of germ-fighting saliva in your mouth.
• Floss every day, preferably at night, to remove plaque and food particles from between teeth and gums. Brushing your teeth is not enough to keep gums clean.
• Don’t wait until you’re in pain to go to your dentist. Remember: early stages of gum disease often don’t show symptoms. Visit your dentist at least every six months to keep your teeth and gums disease-free—or to treat any gum issues before they get worse.

How you maintain a healthy heart at the dentist

At Arise Dental, we believe that prevention is the key to good health. That’s why we recommend that you stick to regular cleanings; even the best home care practices often aren’t enough to keep gum disease at bay.
Every checkup is an opportunity for us to detect a number of health issues, including gum disease. We will partner with you on treatment options, home care habits and other helpful tips to maintain your oral health.
If you have any questions about how your oral health relates to your heart health, let us know! We’re dedicated to helping you keep your mouth and body in the best shape possible.