Your Dental Health: The Link Between Gum Disease and Heart Attack/Stroke by Dr. Jerry Simon

Research suggests that there is a link between gum disease and increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Of the 1.5 million heart attacks and 600,000 strokes in the U.S. each year, almost half affect people who appear to be healthy with normal or low cholesterol levels. Oral bacteria may be the missing link.

How might gum disease affect cardiovascular health?

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are most commonly related to thickening of the walls of arteries. That results from damage to the artery wall from inflammation along with development of an "atheroma" or plaque. Part of this inflammatory damage is from bacteria from gum infections.

When your gums bleed bacteria enter your blood stream and move through blood vessels to distant sites in the body, including the heart. When this happens the artery becomes less elastic and the inside of the artery becomes smaller and smaller. What happens next is small blood clots may form and arteries get clogged which causes blood flow to be cut off. This results in a heart attack or stroke depending on the location.

What are the warning signs of gum disease?

• Gums that bleed during brushing or eating
• Gums that feel swollen or tender
• Gums that are receding
• Persistent bad breath
• Gums that are red.

At Dental Care of Stamford we believe that ongoing regular preventive care with the hygienist is a critical part of your dental and over all medical care. More information about gum disease and its relationship to cardiovascular disease may be found on this website or call 203-324-6171 to arrange a consultation. It's not just a cleaning!

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