{"id":1146,"date":"2020-02-06T19:13:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-06T19:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/?p=1146"},"modified":"2020-03-13T19:13:47","modified_gmt":"2020-03-13T19:13:47","slug":"is-there-a-link-between-gum-disease-and-heart-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/is-there-a-link-between-gum-disease-and-heart-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Is There a Link Between Gum Disease and Heart Disease?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"young<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Since February is the month of love, now seems like as good\na time as any to talk about your heart. More specifically, how your gums can\naffect your heart. If you have periodontal\ndisease<\/a>, also known as gum disease, that puts you more at risk of developing\ncardiovascular problems. Why is that? A dentist is here to explain the\ngum-heart connection and what it means for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Is Periodontal Disease?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you neglect to brush, floss, or attend your regular\ndental cleanings, plaque builds up on your teeth and around your gum line. Plaque\nis full of bacteria that can create an infection in the gum tissue if not\nremoved by your dentist. If left untreated, this infection can turn into gum\ndisease, which spirals into other problems besides inflammation. Bacteria attack\nthe structures keeping your teeth anchored in your gums, eventually causing them\nto fall out. In fact, gum disease is the number one cause of adult tooth loss\nin the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Is Gum Disease Linked to Your Heart?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might not think the mouth and the heart would be very\nconnected, but that couldn\u2019t be further from the truth. Recent research has\nsuggested that oral bacteria can travel into the bloodstream through the\npockets they create in between the teeth and the gums, reaching other areas of\nthe body like the heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, the bacteria can cause inflammation in the heart\u2019s\ncrucial arteries and blood vessels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular\nproblems like heart attack and stroke. This is especially concerning in individuals\nwho already had other health problems that put them at a greater risk. For this\nreason, prevention is key when it comes to treating gum disease and saving your\nheart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can You Prevent Periodontal Disease?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Keeping gum disease at bay is, for the most part, pretty straightforward.\nTake care of your oral health by brushing your teeth twice a day for two\nminutes at a time. Flossing might actually be more important than brushing,\nthough, when it comes to preventing gum disease. Flossing is the only way to\nremove built-up plaque from between your teeth that could otherwise cause an\ninfection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, engage in healthy habits like eating a diet rich in\nfresh fruits and raw vegetables. If you smoke, consider quitting. Tobacco use more\nthan doubles your risk of developing gum disease as well as oral cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, remember to see your dentist at least twice a year\nfor your regular checkups and cleanings. These appointments will allow the\ndental hygienist to remove plaque. Your dentist can also diagnose early signs\nof gum disease and get it treated before it wreaks havoc on your heart. And you\ndefinitely don\u2019t want that to happen, especially during this month of love! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. J. Peter\nSt. Clair<\/a> has been practicing dentistry in Rowley, MA since 1996. He is a current\nFaculty Club Member at Spear Education, one of the world\u2019s leading\npost-graduate dental education facilities. His main goal is to help his\npatients understand their oral health and come up with a personalized treatment\nplan for each and every one of them. That includes treatment for gum disease. If\nyou think you may have or be at risk for gum disease, visit Dr. St.\nClair\u2019s website. <\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since February is the month of love, now seems like as good a time as any to talk about your heart. More specifically, how your gums can affect your heart. If you have periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, that puts you more at risk of developing cardiovascular problems. Why is that? A dentist is here to explain the gum-heart connection and what it means for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1146"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1146\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1148,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1146\/revisions\/1148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}