If you want a healthy heart, don’t ignore your mouth

According to researchers, people who have periodontal disease are nearly twice as likely to also suffer from heart disease. Scientists believe the link between both diseases may be caused by the same bacteria. The bacteria commonly found in infected gums can eventually break down the barrier between the gums and underlying connective tissue, causing inflammation. When you chew, and even when you brush your teeth, that bacteria can enter the bloodstream and your circulatory system.

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to infection. Scientists suspect that oral bacteria may trigger inflammation and ultimately lead to arterial plaque as it travels through the body. In this scenario, arterial plaque narrows the arteries. It can also break loose and clog the arteries entirely, leading to a heart attack or even a stroke.

While scientists are still researching whether inflammation is the root of the problem, we now have conclusive research showing a strong link between periodontal disease and heart disease. As many as 800,000 Americans die from cardiovascular disease every year and 795,000 Americans have a stroke. Simply helping people to improve their oral hygiene could save lives.

February is Gum Disease Awareness Month and Heart Health Month

An estimated 200 million Americans suffer from some type of periodontal disease and 85 million have some form of cardiovascular disease. Periodontal disease isn’t only linked to heart disease and stroke, it’s also linked to other systemic diseases such as diabetes, pregnancy complications, and even osteoporosis, not to mention tooth loss. The first step in effective treatment is diagnosis. It’s easy to miss the early signs of periodontal disease because many symptoms don’t appear until the later stages.

Make sure your dentist does a thorough periodontal examination and has a proper probing protocol in place to search for signs of gum disease.

According to the American Academy of Periodontology the signs of periodontal disease include:

• Gums that are red, swollen, or tender

• Mouth pain

• If you bleed while brushing, flossing, or eating

• Receding gums that cause the teeth to look longer

• Any loose teeth

• Pus found between your gums and teeth

• Persistently bad breath

• Mouth sores

• A change in your bite

• Changes in how partial dentures fit

A patient-friendly, less-invasive treatment for

periodontal disease

Once periodontal disease is located, the way to repair damage is to get rid of the infection and close up the pockets. Until recently that required painful scraping and scalpel-and-suture surgery.

Today, some dentists offer a patient-friendly, less-invasive laser procedure. The LANAP or LAPT protocol are both minimally invasive gum disease treatments that use a dental laser to help avoid cutting and stitching the gums. This leads to much less pain and a quicker recovery time.

If you have questions about the link between periodontal disease and heart disease, periodontal examinations or the LANAP and LAPT procedure, you can call Dr. Jason Lane at (907) 373-2200 or visit http://www.lanefamilydental.com/