Heart Health Month: What’s the Connection between Gum Disease and Heart Disease?

Heart Health Month: What’s the Connection between Gum Disease and Heart Disease?

Now that it’s February, people are going to be turning their attention to matters of the heart. But we’re not just talking about Valentine’s Day. February is also Heart Health Month.

But what, you might be wondering, does the health of your heart have to do with dentistry? More than you might think.

Medical studies have shown that gum disease, a common oral health condition, shares a link with a wide range of conditions in the rest of the body, including heart disease. Heart problems arise when deposits of plaque build up inside the arteries of the heart. If enough plaque buildup forms to completely block the flow of blood, the result can be a heart attack or a stroke.

So, how does gum disease contribute?

The answer isn’t entirely clear, but gum disease does give bacteria and plaque an entry to the bloodstream, and from there to the rest of the body. We’re not saying that the plaque from your mouth is the same as the plaque that ends up in your heart, though. A number of theories on the exact nature of the relationship exist. What’s clear is that gum disease is a contributing factor.

That’s why regular checkups are so vital to enjoying good oral health and overall wellbeing. During a checkup, Dr. Wade will look for signs of gum disease, with treatment to follow if she finds anything.

One tool that she’s using every day to help is Oral DNA. In our next post, we’ll talk about Oral DNA and how it’s helping Dr. Wade provide effective care to her Frisco patients.

Call us today if you’re ready to schedule an appointment with Stonebriar Smile Design. We serve patients from Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, The Colony, and beyond.