It can seem strange to connect your mouth and heart. “How is it possible that my teeth may cause a heart infection? you may ask. Most attempts to prevent heart disease center on boosting physical activity, lowering high blood pressure, controlling cholesterol and blood sugar, managing stress, and other crucial behaviors.
But did you know that maintaining good oral health might really be essential to your longevity? Having a healthy mouth is essential for enjoying life and having a smile that looks its best. Recent studies have shown that the connection between your mouth and general health may be more extensive than previously thought.
Heart attacks, strokes, and poor cardiac health are more common in those who have poor oral health. Your overall health is improved by maintaining good dental health in addition to keeping your smile attractive. In this post, we
The Bacterial Link Between Gum Disease and Heart Disease
Do gum conditions increase the chance of heart conditions?
There are two ways an infection might reach the heart or indirectly have an impact on it.
The first process is the circulation of germs in the blood. Particularly dental caries or tooth decay expose the capillaries situated close to the roots of the teeth to microorganisms. As a result, pathogenic bacteria are carried by the circulation to the heart, where they grow and create toxins that can result in the potentially fatal condition known as endocarditis. The infection and inflammation may cause cardiac tissue to die, which in turn may result in a deadly heart attack.
If ignored, tooth decay is not only painful, but it may also be fatal, especially for people who have a history of heart problems or other pre-existing diseases. Moreover, the gums are lined with capillaries that connect to the heart. Gingivitis and periodontitis, two bacterial illnesses linked to poor dental hygiene, can thus also travel to the heart. The lethal endocarditis can be brought on by the harmful bacteria once they enter the circulation and reach the heart.
Bacteria can also harm the heart indirectly by the immune system overreacting. Your body’s reaction to germs rather than the bacteria themselves is what causes inflammation. The immunological hyper response can cause several types of tissue damage throughout the heart.
As a separate issue, lifestyle and genetics also contribute to an individual’s increased propensity to develop heart disease. For instance, smoking may harm both the heart and teeth. The risk of illness, which was already enhanced by smoking, would therefore be a natural result of any infection that would travel from the teeth to the heart.
Gum Disease Signs
You should take these symptoms seriously and seek treatment as soon as possible because of the connection between heart disease and dental health. If you’re dealing with one or more of the following symptoms, you could have gum disease, even in a minor form:
- Gums that are red, swollen and hurt.
- Your gums bleed when you eat, brush, or floss.
- Pus or other indications of infection near the teeth or gums.
- Gums that seem to be moving away from the teeth (receding gums).
- Foul breath or a lingering bad taste in your mouth.
It is best to have your dental exams regularly so these symptoms would not go unnoticed.
Cure Gum Infection Before It Hurts Your Heart
The main reason for tooth loss is periodontal disease, which as you already know is also connected to heart disease and stroke. Follow these steps to treat it if you encounter its symptoms:
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush that can reach all tooth surfaces to clean your teeth and gums twice a day.
- To eliminate plaque and bacteria, floss every day, moving the floss softly across both teeth in the space.
- Follow the instructions on the mouthwash package to use it to kill bacteria and reduce plaque.
- Schedule routine dental appointments with your dentist at least once a year.
If symptoms continue, it’s likely that an infection has spread to your mouth’s most difficult-to-reach areas. To restore the health of your mouth, your periodontist, who specializes in the prevention, detection, and treatment of gum disease, may need to recommend an antibiotic.
Your oral health and heart disease are topics that the dentists at Boca Dental and Braces are glad to discuss with you. You may have and keep healthy gums and teeth with our assistance. You may set up a meeting with us by going to our website.
