How Are Oral Health & Heart Health Related?

In our field of work, there’s a common saying: Your mouth is the gateway to your body. Put another way, it means that your oral health can affect and reflect certain things happening with your overall health. Sometimes a dentist may be the first one to notice the sign of a larger health condition! Zooming in a little bit closer, many studies have shown a connection between oral health and heart health specifically.

The Link Between Periodontal Disease & Cardiovascular Disease

We should be clear upfront: Just because one person has periodontal disease doesn’t mean that they’ll definitely get cardiovascular disease, and vice versa. That being said, there is a strong connection between the two. This is because the bacteria that can lead to gum disease can also travel through the blood and cause other issues like vessel inflammation, clogged arteries, or clots. On top of that, it’s possible that when inflammation occurs with gum disease, it sends a signal to your immune system to respond. That in turn can have widespread effects on your heart.

How to Prevent Issues from Occurring

So what can you do to help keep your mouth and heart in great condition? Well, for starters you can do everything possible to keep periodontal disease at bay. That means brushing twice a day, flossing at least once a day, visiting the dentist every six months for a check-up, and making sure to eat nutritious meals. Of course, there are many other factors at play with both gum disease and heart disease so don’t hesitate to speak with both your dentist and your general doctor about other steps you can take to maintain great health.

High Quality Dental Care at Chandler Dental Center

Interested in more dental tidbits? Need to see a dentist? Contact us at Chandler Dental Center. Our team is proud to serve our San Antonio community with high-quality dental care, and we’re here to answer any questions you may have to the best of our ability.

Contact Us

Categorised in: Oral Health, Oral Hygiene, Overall Health

This post was written by ChandlerDentalCenter