Bad Gums Linked to Heart Disease

Floss or DIE???

Sounds a bit silly or far-fetched, doesn't it? However, recent medical research is revealing some startling news about gum disease. It appears that heart attacks, strokes, premature birth, and even cancer may be more related to chronic inflammation in the body than the usual suspects. The most common source of chronic inflammation in the human body is, you guessed it: Gum Disease! Does this mean that gum disease causes these medical issues? So far, the answer is no. Even if there is a "correlation," it doesn't mean there is "causation."

The newly suspected relationship between gum disease and heart disease and strokes is still being studied, but we expect to hear more and more about it.

Other studies have linked gum disease with low birth weight babies.

Even more recently cancer (pancreatic, specifically) has been linked to the chronic inflammation from periodontal disease.

Again, we cannot yet say that gum disease causes any of these "systemic" medical problems. Of course, more study is needed, but I believe we'll be hearing more about these relationships in years to come.

An infection anywhere in your body is not a good thing and needs to be treated. The mouth is no different.

Here is a more recent news story about the relationship between Gum Disease and heart disease (and diabetes):

Periodontal (Gum) Treatment

The easiest thing to do is to PREVENT gum disease with good home care and regular preventive professional care. However, when gum disease is present, the sooner it's treated, the better.

Non-surgical gum treatment is offered at Palm Beach Smiles in Boynton Beach. Oftentimes a thorough cleaning of the roots of your teeth (while you're completely numb) will yield remarkable improvements. After initial treatment, more frequent cleanings may be recommended: every 3 - 4 months rather than every 6 months.

For the most advanced cases, referral to a Periodontist (gum specialist) may be indicated.

Palm Beach Smiles 
Michael Barr, DDS
COSMETIC & FAMILY DENTISTRY
650 W. Boynton Beach Blvd, Suite 1- Boynton Beach, FL 332426
(561) 736-2377
http://palmbeach-smiles.com/