Dental Solutions
“I love my teeth and my smile. The work was done very softly and pleasant, and Dr. Gross and his team really cared and even worked on “odd” hours as I was a bit pushed for time leaving USA for Europe. Thank you Dr. Gross – Thank you Renee and the rest of the team – You are great!”
- Pernilla
Periodontal Health and Heart Attacks
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Dental health and general health are related — the oral cavity is part of the body, and shares the same bloodstream. If you have not seen a good dentist in the past year or so for a check-up and professional cleaning, we urge you to do so. Gum disease can easily be treated when it is still in its early stage, called gingivitis. But when it progresses and becomes periodontitis, it is difficult to treat. There is no need for it ever to reach that second stage, because regular dental check-ups will catch it early.
What is gum disease?
The mouth always contains many bacteria, like all body surfaces, and in fact like the entire planet. They never need to be a dental problem if you consistently remove some of them. That is why dentists urge you to brush at least once a day and floss every day. By keeping their numbers down you can preserve your teeth and prevent gum disease (periodontal disease).
Bacteria have digestive systems of a kind, like all living organisms. They feed on food particles left on the teeth, and deposit acid excretions on teeth and gums. Bacteria and their excretions are known as plaque. You can feel it as a rough film on the teeth. It is easily removed by good dental hygiene.
Gingivitis
The more bacteria there are in the mouth, left by dental neglect, the more acid excretions there are. The acid destroys tooth enamel, just as anything acid will, such as sugar left on the teeth. In other words, cavities develop. Plaque (biofilm) left for too long will harden and become tartar (calculus), which cannot be removed by brushing and flossing. It has sharp edges. The gums become swollen and inflamed and will bleed easily.
Thriving bacteria will spread into the pockets between each tooth and its surrounding gum tissue. This enlarges the pockets, making more space for more bacteria, which thrive some more and enlarge the pockets further, spreading below the gumline. At first, a good professional cleaning can repair this damage. But as it progresses, it becomes stage two of gum disease, known as periodontitis.
Periodontitis
By now, toothache may have ceased, because the tooth’s nerve has died. This doesn’t stop bacteria from spreading however, and they will work their way both into the gum tissue and down the tooth’s root canal, the interior which contains the nerve. From there they can enter the bone where the tooth is embedded. The pockets around each tooth continue to enlarge, so that teeth loosen and may fall out. This is severe periodontitis.
Spread of infection
From the time the diseased gums first start to bleed, oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream. That allows them to travel to all other parts of the body, spreading infection and inflammation as they go, by their acid excretions.
Heart Disease
Research has found that people who have periodontitis are about twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease as people with no gum disease. (Coronary arteries are the heart arteries, which supply the heart with oxygen.) It is not fully understood yet exactly how oral bacteria affect the heart, and there are several theories.
- One suggests that they attach themselves to the fatty deposits in coronary arteries and contribute to blood clot formation. Clots will block blood flow to the heart and reduce its supply of oxygen and nutrients. This will impair its function.
- Another theory posits that inflammation caused by oral bacteria in the bloodstream increases the plaque build-up in the coronary arteries, causing them to swell.
Regardless of the exact mechanism, it is clear from research studies that periodontitis does increase chances of heart attacks and stroke, and does worsen an existing heart condition. Why not free yourself from these complications by having regular dental check-ups and by practicing good dental hygiene?
You can read more about gum disease prevention and treatment on our Periodontics page. We urge you to give your teeth and gums good daily care, and to have them checked at least once a year by a qualified dentist. We offer very thorough dental check-ups, including screening for oral cancer.
If you would like a complimentary dental consultation, please call or email any of our four SmilePerfect offices — Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Plantation, or Deerfield, Florida — and we will be glad to schedule that for you.
