Q: Can gum disease cause other health problems?
A: It’s long been known that your oral health is closely related to your overall health. New research has found that chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory gum disease, is potentially related to the severity of heart attacks, also called myocardial infarctions. Researchers from the University of Granada in Spain studied 112 heart attack patients and tested them for a variety of conditions, including periodontal health. Their preliminary findings were that there is a relationship between gum disease and the severity of heart attacks. Their findings were published in the prestigious Journal of Dental Research under the title, “Acute myocardial infarct size is related to periodontitis extent and severity.” Research is continuing.
Medical experts have known for some time, however, that bacteria from gum infection—and from other ailments in the mouth—can get into the bloodstream and cause problems. Researchers have found, for instance, that people who suffer from gum disease are twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without gum disease. Several years ago, as published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, doctors determined that in the case of a 35-year-old mother who had a stillborn birth, the baby’s stomach and lungs contained the same strain of oral bacteria the mother had in her untreated gum disease.
If you, your family or friends need dental care, we would be honored to provide you with state-of-the-art dental care in our modern dental practice. Refer someone you love to someone you trust!
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39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236. 330-650-0360. www.drshooverandyanda.com
thing, a bacterial infection in the gum could affect the placenta, the organ that links the fetus with the mother’s uterus. There has been some concern over the years about a link between periodontal infection—gum disease—and pre-term, low-birth-weight babies.
new method of paying for dental services that is becoming very popular. A Concierge Plan is an in-office plan that helps patients afford their needed dentistry. It is not traditional dental insurance, but rather a “membership plan”, similar to plans like Costco, Amazon Prime, Sam’s Club, etc. For one very affordable annual fee, a patient in our office receives a comprehensive exam for new patients, two professional cleanings and two periodic exams per year, an emergency exam if needed, a full-mouth series of x-rays every five years, one set of bitewing x-rays per year, two fluoride treatments per year if needed and 15% off of any other dental treatment they have done within that year. There is no limit on how much dentistry can be received. We have other plans too for families and for periodontal patients who need more frequent cleanings.
thing you can do for your dental health is visit your dentist regularly. If it’s been a while since your last checkup, resolve at this start of the year to call and make an appointment for a thorough examination and cleaning.
