Plaque by any Other Name

The shear definition of plaque and calculus should lead us to believe that medicine has long suspected the link between cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease. Just think, we call the unhealthy beginning of gingivitis and periodontal disease plaque and calculus. This is what we remove when we brush our teeth and get a professional dental cleaning. If you have cardiovascular disease, it is plaque or calcium buildup in your arteries that ultimately have lead to your problem.

Here is some food for thought, think about the similarities:

What is Dental Plaque?

Dental plaque is a soft deposit that accumulates on the teeth. Plaque can be defined as a complex microbial community. In addition to the bacterial cells, plaque contains a small number of epithelial cells, leukocytes, and macrophages. The cells are contained within an extracellular matrix, which is formed from bacterial products and saliva. The extracellular matrix contains protein, polysaccharide and lipids.
The oral cavity contains the only known anatomical aspect of the human body that does not have a regulated system of shedding surfaces: the teeth. This allows a numerous amount of microorganisms to adhere to the surface of teeth for long periods of time. These multiple species of bacteria become dental biofilm. Dental biofilm, more commonly referred to as dental plaque, is composed of about a thousand bacteria that take part in the complex ecosystems of the mouth.

At first, the biofilm is soft enough to come off by using finger nail. However, it starts to harden within 48 hours, and in about 10 days the plaque becomes dental calculus (tartar) hard and difficult to remove. Dental plaque can give rise to problems such as gingivitis and chronic periodontitis.

What Is Coronary Heart Disease?

Coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease, is a condition in which plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis (ATH-er-o-skler-O-sis). The buildup of plaque occurs over many years.

Atherosclerosis

Over time, plaque hardens into calculus or calcium deposits and narrows your coronary arteries. This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle.

Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture (break open). This causes a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque. If the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery. If the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle is reduced or blocked, angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh) or a heart attack may occur.

A heart attack occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked. If blood flow is not restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die. Without quick treatment, a heart attack can lead to serious problems and even death.

The key message to take home is to prevent plaque accumulation in anyway possible, either in your mouth or in your arteries.

What Does Your Mouth Have to Say About Your Health?

From www.cbsnews.com, other professionals are supporting the same message we tell our patients daily.

-Dr. Wade

"Cardiologists might not check your teeth and gums, but maybe they should start. Mounting evidence suggests a quick peek in the mouth may reveal a whole lot about your general health.

The lips, mouth, teeth and breath can signal medical problems and diseases beyond the plaque, gum disease and gingivitis diagnosed in the dentist's chair. Plaque buildup between teeth due to lax brushing and flossing is very different from plaque that builds up in arteries and causes heart attacks - but the toxins in mouth plaque stimulate a chronic inflammatory response linked to diseases like heart disease.

"The mouth is the gateway to the heart and there's clearly a link between poor dental health and cardiovascular conditions," says Dr. Kevin Marzo, Chief of Cardiology at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, New York. For example, he says, cardiac medications you put under your tongue travel quickly through the bloodstream. That means bacteria can too.

"The bacteria that cause dental plaque may promote inflammation in the body beyond the mouth including the lining of the blood vessels, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease including heart attacks," says Marzo.

Research has shown when people with active gum disease are treated, their arteries actually get healthier. Some experts suggest managing inflammation in the mouth may reduce other inflammatory-related health issues, including arthritis - even wrinkles and aging. Besides heart disease, gum disease has been linked to respiratory diseases, stroke, and osteoporosis.

The mouth can also give doctors clues about a person's sexual health. Warts in the mouth that resemble cauliflower clusters may signal the human papillomavirus, or HPV, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections.

"I see them on the lips, tongue or roof of the mouth," says Dr. Susan Pugliese, Clinical Assistant Professor Division of Oral Medicine and Dentistry Department of Surgery at SUNY Downstate. "And I'm seeing them more frequently in patients over 50 who are dating." Pugliese says this age group may not connect what's going on in their mouth to their sex lives.

HPV is also a driver of oral cancer: the National Cancer Institute, estimates 65 percent of the approximately 8,000 cancers of the tonsils and base of the tongue seen in the U.S. in 2010 were from HPV infections; 80 per cent were in men. Cancers may appear as ulcers on the lips, inside of the cheeks, tongue or back of throat that don't heal, or white patches that don't slough off. A biopsy is typically recommended for suspicious warts or lesions in the mouth and throat.

HIV is often first detected in the mouth, as a bright red outline around the teeth, or as a white coating that can be scraped off the tongue, known as thrush. The coating signals an overgrowth of Candida, the same fungus that causes yeast infections in women and jock itch in men. The white coating can also signal glucose levels are out of whack, poorly managed diabetes or fluctuating hormones. It can also be harmless, signaling a sensitivity to additives in toothpaste, such as tartar control agents. Dentists may recommend an HIV test for young patients presenting with Candida who have other risk factors.

A person's breath also provides health clues. Bad breath may signal serious conditions that require medical attention such as respiratory infections, diabetes, acid reflux and kidney and liver problems. Dry mouth? That's sometimes caused by medications, such as antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, and heart drugs. Drinking water or chewing on fibrous foods such as celery may help.

Good oral hygiene is the best way to prevent gum disease and keep your mouth healthy. Healthy gums hug the teeth and don't pull away, have bounce, and don't bleed from brushing or flossing. But while a clean, well-cared for mouth can promote good health, it can also disguise serious health problems... so don't skip regular visits to the doctor, and dentist."

Smile With Heart

Do you have a family history of heart disease or periodontal disease? You may want to consider the MYPerioPath saliva DNA test. You simply swish with a sterile saline solution in your mouth and spit into a tube. The sample is then sent to OralDNA Labs, where testing is performed. The same bacteria that can cause periodontal disease are the same pathogens that can be responsible for heart disease. The mouth is the window to your health, keep it happy and healthy!