Did you know that gum disease can raise your risk of heart attack?
Bacteria that is present in the gums has been shown to be deposited on the arteries of patients who have experienced heart attacks and strokes. And though people may be treated for obvious signs of cardiovascular issues such as high blood pressure, excessive weight gain, family history- the mouth is often overlooked as the first place where signs may manifest. Inflammation is the underlying issue in most conditions – and if not treated, we find ourselves managing symptoms and not the root cause.
I can’t stop reading and learning how all of this is connected.
It’s just crazy we’re not always taught to look at things as a whole, when it’s quite obvious to me now that if something is off in the mouth, there could be other things that are not quite right. From the way we breathe, the way we sleep, and the way we eat- it all matters.
We’ll be talking more about this in future posts – the heart/mouth link, as well as inflammation. But for now, if you notice that you have excessive bleeding in the gums when brushing or flossing, please see your dentist. Take a little more time to brush your teeth (at least 2 minutes each time you brush), and clean your gums with floss or a rubber tip stimulator – more on that in future posts.
Also, though I’ll be definitely mentioning this book in many times, I highly recommend reading Beat The Heart Attack Gene, by Dr. Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen.
If you are in the area, please stop by my office and borrow a copy – we have a few books available for our patients to take home and read.