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Research suggests a link between dental health and heart disease, with those suffering from gum disease, dentures, or bad teeth more likely to have heart disease. Studies also show a high risk of gum disease in patients needing heart transplants. Tooth loss can lead to an imbalanced diet, increasing the risk of heart disease. People who have had heart surgeries need antibiotic treatment before dental treatment. Some heart disease medications exacerbate gum disease, but this can be avoided by taking pills that can be swallowed.
Are you at risk for heart disease? It’s sometimes hard to tell, but research that began in the 2000s suggests seeing your dentist to find out. Several studies conducted by cardiologists and periodontists (specialists in gum disease) now suggest that there are several connections between dental health and heart disease. People with gum disease, dentures, or bad teeth are much more likely to have heart disease. These are related studies, not cause and effect studies, but further research in this area may suggest that keeping your mouth healthy is one of the keys to having a healthy heart.
Dental health and heart disease study links high risk of gum disease in patients needing heart transplants. In an Australian study, 77% of a group of over 80 patients requiring a heart transplant had periodontal disease. This was compared to a group that did not need a transplant and with healthy hearts where only 13% had periodontal disease. This study may be slightly erroneous as just 80 people who need transplants were compared to a much larger group of people who don’t need them, over 900 people. However, combined with other studies, these findings suggest that oral health and heart disease may be related.
What many similar studies reveal is that people who have suffered heart attacks, need transplants, or need heart surgery are much more likely to have dental problems. Chief among these was periodontal or gum disease, which means that a large amount of bacteria is present in the mouth. In this case, you cannot cope with brushing or flossing, as the gums can bleed and thus be open to receiving bacteria into the bloodstream.
It is theorized that one of the connections between dental health and heart disease is what the bloodstream does with bacteria in the mouth. It could end up lining the artery walls, causing atherosclerosis and blockage of the arteries, or alternatively, some forms of strep bacteria can cause vegetative matter to grow in the valves of the heart, called bacterial endocarditis. Prevention of gum disease is important, and that means flossing regularly and getting your teeth cleaned twice a year. If you have gum disease, you should talk to your doctor or dentist about antibiotic mouthwashes that can help remove bacteria from your mouth before flossing.
Another connection between oral health and heart disease is the theory that tooth loss can actually change your diet and cause poorer cardiovascular health. Because of missing teeth or poorly fitting dentures, people may not eat such a high-fiber diet. Softer foods can mean fatter foods and a significantly imbalanced diet, which increases your risk of heart disease. It is therefore important to get adequate replacement teeth or crowns as needed so that you can consume the recommended amounts of dietary fiber.
Dental health and heart disease have an even more established connection that has been known for some time. People who have had surgeries, especially surgeries that used artificial valves, ducts, or stents, absolutely need antibiotic treatment before receiving any type of dental treatment, even teeth cleaning. It’s always important to talk to your dentist about heart conditions or surgeries you’ve had, and ask your cardiologist if you need what are called prophylactic antibiotics before seeing your dentist. This large single dose of antibiotics taken one hour before dental work prevents the increased risk of developing bacterial endocarditis.
Additionally, treatment for some forms of heart disease can exacerbate gum disease. Some medications such as calcium channel blockers or ACE inhibitors may come in chewable form and many contain sugar. Heart disease medications can create a snowball effect that actually makes the very diseases they are supposed to treat worse by causing more dental problems. This problem could be solved by taking pills that you can swallow rather than chew so your teeth aren’t affected by the medications.
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