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If you are suffering from gum disease, do not put off coming in to see a dentist. Gum disease has been linked to heart disease. This is due to the fact that the bacteria that cause gum disease can get into the bloodstream and travel throughout the body. The cardiovascular system is especially vulnerable to this, and heart attacks and gum disease has been proven to be a direct cause of heart attacks and strokes in a number of people.
The number of bacteria in one human mouth can easily total more than the number of people alive on the earth. Even in a plaque-free mouth, as many as 1,000 to 100,000 bacteria live on each individual tooth surface. Mind you, this is in a plaque free mouth. If plaque is present, there are as many as 100 million to 1 billion bacteria growing on every tooth. This staggers our comprehension, but it is a statistical fact.
Some bacteria are good for your body. Others, however, are extremely harmful. The kind of bacteria that cause gum disease not only permanently damage gum tissue, but they also can damage your jaw bone and the connective tissues that hold your teeth to your jaw. Once this tissue is weakened, the likelihood of tooth loss intensifies. Even worse, the bacteria that cause gum disease can travel through the blood and strike internal organs. Heart attacks and strokes are two of the severe consequences of untreated gum disease.
The statistics are quite alarming. Research conducted over a ten-year period determined that patients with gum disease are three times as likely to suffer a heart attack as are patients without Periodontitis. Researchers are still exploring the details of the causal relationship between Periodontitis and heart disease. Evidence to date strongly suggests that infectious bacteria enter the bloodstream through tears in gum tissue. Once these bacteria reach the liver, the liver produces a protein that clogs the arteries. Other research indicates that gum disease bacteria can directly attack the heart by creating blockages in the arteries. This theory is strongly supported by the fact that oral bacteria have been found in the arteries of people who previously experienced arterial blockage and a subsequent heart attack.
People with a heart valve ailment need to really be proactive in seeking out dental treatment for gum disease. Conditions such as mitral valve prolapse, rheumatic heart disease, congenital defects, and heart murmurs are particularly vulnerable to oral bacteria. In addition to the risk of heart attacks, a rare and occasionally fatal disease known as endocarditis can be brought on by S.Sanguis—the bacteria found in plaque—and wreck havoc on heart tissues and valve muscles.
If you have any type of heart valve ailment, it is strongly recommended you talk to your dentist about it before having any type of dental treatment. It may be necessary for your dentist to prescribe antibiotics as a precautionary measure against oral bacteria that could otherwise be dislodged into the bloodstream and travel directly to the heart.
Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont and Midland Texas to see Dr Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth O’Sullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic denistry services.
For any other questions related to cosmetic dentistry, you can Contact Us at 713.795.5905, visit our Dental Blog or Ask the Dentist. Seek professional care on a regular basis as well. Some things, such as teeth cleaning and a full oral examination, can only be done in a dental office.
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