The connection between good oral health and whole body health is one of the most important reasons to maintain a routine of regular visits to your team of dental professionals. You will not only enjoy a healthier smile but a healthier body as well!
While follow-up research is ongoing and still to be completed, initial studies from the American Heart Association have linked poor oral health with increased chances of developing heart disease, even more so than the usual suspects such as elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
It has been reported that an infection in the gum tissue around a tooth is the strongest predictor of coronary disease. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, it is the bacteria in your mouth, or the inflammatory response to the bacteria, that may cause inflammation of the heart and more plaque buildup in the blood vessels.
Although neither your dentist nor your physician fully understands the connection between the mouth and your heart, that connection does mean that maintaining proper gum health is very important in helping prevent possible systemic health issues.