How does your heart condition affect Periodontal Diseases?

When you think about your own risk for heart diseases, many things may come to mind such as fatty foods, lack of exercise, and genetics.
However, there is another possible factor, namely the periodontal diseases. Periodontitis is a bacterial infection of the gum and bone that support your teeth. Recent studies have suggested that people with periodontitis have twice the risk of having a fatal heart attack as those without periodontitis.

How does this happen? In the presence of gum disease, chewing or brushing your teeth allows bacterial toxins to enter the bloodstream and irritate the blood vessel linings. The inflammation caused by periodontitis may also release chemicals into your blood that contribute to the buildup of fatty deposits inside your heart arteries.

Periodontal disease appears to trigger the liver to make certain proteins that inflame arteries and cause blood clots that can lead to heart attacks.

Periodontal diseases can also aggravate certain kinds of existing heart conditions, especially when there has been previous damage to the heart. According to the American Heart Association, patients at risk for a disease called infective endocarditis may need to take antibiotics prior to dental procedures. Your cardiologist will determine if your heart condition requires use of antibiotics prior to dental procedures.

Because a healthy mouth and gums lead to a healthier body, see your dentist, or periodontist for a periodontal evaluation as soon as possible and begin taking care of your oral health today.

The importance of a scale and polish and root planning



Before Scale and Polish

After Scale and Polish

Scaling and root planning is a meticulous cleaning of the root surfaces below the gum line, to remove toxins like nicotine, plaque and tartar from the root surfaces of the teeth. This procedure is very important to prevent and treat periodontal (or gum) disease.
Polishing of the teeth, is the removal of external tooth stains and plaque, above the gum line, with a polishing paste and a dental polishing brush, in order to obtain a clean smooth surface. It is recommended that patients have a scale and polish every six months, or every three to four months if there is periodontal disease present.

If you require root planning and have very sensitive teeth, your dentist or periodontist may numb the area prior to treatment. Research shows that scaling and root planing, and use of chlorhexidine based mouthwash, reduces gingival inflammation and probing depths, and the number of bacteria living in deeper pockets, resulting in healing of the gums. Scaling and root planing is usually the first mode of treatment recommended for periodontal patients.

In severe periodontitis, antibiotics are prescribed before or after these procedures. Each time you take an antibiotic you increase your chance of developing drug resistant bacteria, so it is important to take antibiotics only when necessary.

How can oral health affect pregnancy?

During pregnancy, the body experiences crazy hormonal changes. These changes can affect many of the tissues in the body, including the gums. The gums can become sensitive and inflamed, when there is tartar or dental caries present. Without proper oral care and treatment, mild gum problems may turn into early periodontitis. Studies have showed that pregnant women who experience periodontal disease during their pregnancies are twice as likely to have a premature delivery.

They may also experience preclampasia, which presents with high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Periodontitis can increase inflammatory cells and levels of biological fluids in the body, which can induce preterm labor.

Scientific data also suggests that women whose periodontal conditions worsen during pregnancy are at risk of having a low birth weight baby. Recent studies have shown that pregnant women who have periodontitis may be up to seven times more likely to have a baby who is born too early and too small. If the periodontitis is treated during or before pregnancy it significally reduces the risks of a preterm birth.

The American Academy of Periodontology recommends that women considering pregnancy should include a periodontal evaluation as part of their prenatal care. A healthy mouth is important to keep mother and baby happy.