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Gums & heart disease - Cardiovascular Health - Brief Article

Men's Fitness, August, 2002 by Mike Carlson, Allan Donnelly, Ben Kallen, Bobby Lee, Mark Thorpe, Tom Weede

BRUSH YOUR TEETH, save your heart? Apparently, according to research conducted over the past few years indicating periodontal disease may increase the risk for heart disease and stroke, although no direct link has been established. "I can't tell you one begets the other," says Richard Price, D.M.D., consumer advisor for the American Dental Association and a staff member at Boston University Medical School. "But [the research] is leaning in that direction."

Bacteria can enter the bloodstream through microscopic ulcerations, explains Price, and cause health-jeopardizing blood clotting. "Gum is skin," he says. "Any opening allows bacteria to get in." Other dental infections, such as cavities and abscessed teeth, may also increase the chances of cardiovascular-related death.

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The early stage of gum disease is revealed by gums that are red, puffy and bleeding. To reduce your risk for this and other dental problems, practice good oral hygiene, advises Price. In other words, do the following:

* Brush in the morning and evening, and floss, preferably after every meal.

* Quit smoking. "Smoking is brutal on teeth and gums," Price warns.

* Visit your dentist regularly.

* If you suffer from chronic bleeding while brushing, see a dentist--now. "It may not only save your teeth, it may save your life," says Price.

Gums & heart disease - Cardiovascular Health - Brief Article

Men's Fitness, August, 2002 by Mike Carlson, Allan Donnelly, Ben Kallen, Bobby Lee, Mark Thorpe, Tom Weede

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