Oral health and cardiovascular health seem to mesh. Read how they connect from Fort Worth dentist, Dr. Renee Corbitt.
When one part of your body is ailing, you can feel sick all over. The same applies to dental and gum health. If teeth and gums have decay and gingivitis, self-confidence, self-image and systemic health decline. Your Fort Worth general dentist, Dr. Renee Corbitt, outlines reasons why what happens in your mouth travels throughout your body and appears to damage the cardiovascular system in the way of heart attack, stroke, hypertension and other maladies.
Is there an oral/systemic connection?
Although today’s medical research is not conclusive, physicians and dentists, such as Dr. Renee Corbitt, agree with these American Heart Association’s findings: people with poor dental and gingival health seem at increased risk for cardiovascular problems, especially heart attack. Also, the American Academy of Periodontology, experts in gum disease, maintains that risk of stroke increases after acute oral infection–dental abscess or advanced periodontal problems, for example.
As sticky plaque accumulates on teeth and at the gum line, dental decay and periodontal disease increase. That’s why dentists preach preventive oral hygiene at home and in the office: brushing and flossing daily and check-ups and hygienic cleanings semi-annually. When plaque and its rock-hard counterpart, tartar, build-up, gums push away from teeth. Eventually, teeth loosen, and underlying bone deteriorates.
In addition to destructive effects of oral bacteria in plaque, gum disease creates inflammation. Researchers at the Academy of Oral and Systemic Health say that C-reactive protein is found in gums of patients with periodontitis. The protein definitely circulates in the bloodstream of heart attack patients, too, and is considered a marker for widespread inflammation the body.
Could this apparent correlation just be coincidence, or is there a cause and effect relationship? Are other factors, such as diet and exercise, diabetes and smoking, involved? Health professionals have not decided definitively if gum disease causes cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, stroke, atherosclerosis and hypertension. However, suffice it to say that people with periodontitis often are cardiac patients as well.
What can you do?
Be proactive about dental care. It’s good for your teeth and gums, and what’s good for them is good for the total you. Your Fort Worth dentist, Dr. Renee Corbitt, advises the oral care routine outlined above to prevent cavities, gum disease and their possible systemic troubles.
Also, if Dr. Corbitt discovers active gum disease (periodontal pockets deeper than 3 mm, reddened, bleeding gums, pus, halitosis and tenderness), she recommends in-office tooth scaling and root planing. This manual treatment scrapes away plaque and tartar and smooths root surfaces so gums reattach and heal. She may instill antimicrobial medication to treat infection and keep it from returning.
Care for your gums and your heart
A healthy vibrant smile contributes to a healthy vibrant you. If you would like to learn more about how your mouth impacts your overall health, contact Dr. Renee Corbitt, in the Fort Worth area.
She’ll be happy to share her expertise with you and to keep your smile healthy and bright.