It’s Dental Hygiene Month-Did You Know Gum Disease Is Linked to Heart Disease?

Like most people, I have historically been terrified of my annual visit to see the dentist.  Historically, at the end of my dental visit, that little blue bib thing that they tie around your neck would look like a scene from “Saw 4″!

This was before I grew up, and realized that dental technology, like most medical practices has evolved and improved greatly.  When you find a highly skilled and highly competent Dentist, the experience can actually be enjoyable, almost sureal.

But more importantly, regular dental visits do more than just guarantee clean teeth. The link between gum disease and heart disease continues to investigated and substantiated.

There are several theories for this critical link:

-Oral Bacteria can enter affect the heart when it enters the blood stream and attaches to the fatty plaques in the coronary arteries,

-The inflammation caused by periodontal disease increases plaque buildup,

-Researchers have found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal gum disease.

So with October being National Dental Hygiene Month, take the opportunity to schedule that dentist appointment and get that mouth worked on!

If you would like the names of some great dentists, feel free to email me at DrBooker@CapitolRehab.com.