Why Be Concerned About Gum Disease
If left untreated, the gum disease gingivitis may cause potentially lethal heart disease. Just how plaque from the mouth can be found inside the arteries flowing from the heart is unknown, but there is no doubt about the high correlation between untreated gingivitis and heart disease. A recent study has shown that gum disease can increase the body?s production of a chemical that may be responsible for triggering heart disease. Several medical studies have also proven that gingivitis or periodontal disease increases an individual?s risk factor for developing heart disease.
In America alone, heart disease is responsible for the deaths of approximately 450,000 individuals per year, according to the American Heart Association. With gum disease as a predictable forerunner, it may provide patients with the time they need to not only save their teeth but their hearts as well. Preventing gum disease and good dental hygiene may save thousands of lives. However, according to a 2008 report in The New York Times, if change is not instituted, 50% of all children will have cavities and find themselves on the road towards developing heart disease as adults.
The American Heart Association warns that oral hygiene is not the magic cure for heart disease. Individuals still should avoid smoking, obesity and high-fat diets; however, individuals who may be genetically predisposed to heart disease need to be especially cognizant of the relationship between oral health and cardiovascular disease. For such individuals, eliminating smoking and engaging in healthy dietary plans may not be sufficient. A strict oral hygiene regime is required.
Studying the Plaque Connection
Patients may find it difficult to accept that tartar on their teeth or under their gum lines can affect their heart health. But study after study shows that plaque in the mouth will eventually lead to plaque in the arteries. Although numerous studies have been published since the 1990s regarding the gum disease-heart disease correlation, a 2009 study at the University of Buffalo was the most dramatic. The findings were presented at the 2009 meeting of the International Association of Dental Research.
The study showed that the more bacteria in the mouth, the higher his or her chances of having a heart attack. Gingivitis is caused by organic matter like trapped food particles rotting and forming aggressive bacteria. The 2009 study examined 389 volunteers that had already suffered a heart attack. 849 others formed the control group. Each subject contributed samples of their dental plaque to be analyzed for bacteria. Those that had had heart attacks all were found to have had aggressive bacteria in their mouths.
In a 2008 interview with CNN, medical researcher Dr. Michael Kowolick of the University of Illinois described his efforts to fathom the mysteries of a chemical produced by gum disease which may trigger plaque growth and narrowing of the arteries in the circulatory system. The chemical is called high-sensitivity C-reactive-protein (hs-CRP.) Dr. Kowolick concluded that if oral hygiene is ignored, death may occur from plaque-clogged arteries. (?Brush your teeth, save your life?? Thom Patterson, CNN, May 15th, 2008.)
The Good News
The good news is that gingivitis can be reversed. If gingivitis is left untreated, it progresses to periodontal and heart diseases, both of which are not reversible. Symptoms of gingivitis are painful, tender and bleeding gums. The gums may be so swollen that the teeth seem to have shrunk. Dental cleaning of the teeth and the gums can effectively remove the pockets of plaque. When dental plaque ages, it darkens to grey and produces a fetid odor.
Regular brushing, flossing and using a medicated mouth wash can also inhibit the growth of bacteria or plaque. Patients with gingivitis may experience sensitivity during the initial three weeks of a flossing routine because the gums will bleed copiously. But after this initial period, most patients? gums begin to easily tolerate the pressure. A small price to pay for a life-saving preventative measure.
But even if a tooth has been ignored until it rots, just removing the bad tooth can decrease a patient?s chance of developing heart disease. Each rotting tooth is a cauldron of aggressive bacteria which may trigger the chain reactions that contribute to heart disease. Hopefully, patients will get their gums and teeth treated before they reach the stage of needing their teeth pulled.
Future Drugs
CNN reports that researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin are working on a drug to kill aggressive plaque-causing bacteria that may be already present in the body?s blood. Studies so far show that the drug causes the blood to thin in an even more pronounced way than the drug than coumadin (Wafarin) and is therefore thus far too dangerous for human use. Dr. Kowolick criticizes any drug that can make a person susceptible to bleeding to death from even the smallest cut.
It is also unclear just how bacteria from the mouth get into the general bloodstream to begin with. Some theories claim that anything that grows in soft tissues like the gums will be absorbed into the capillaries and then the entire bloodstream. Research is still ongoing on this, and may hold the key to finding a medication to combat it.
It is unclear if this new drug will be safe enough to ever be released. Individuals should not count on a new drug coming out in the near future to cure them quickly of both gum and heart disease. The best way to reverse gingivitis is to go to the dentist and commit to a brushing and flossing routine. Parents are encouraged to help their children to develop good oral hygiene habits now that will carry on into adulthood.
Conclusion
The link between gum disease and heart disease is a protein known as hs-CRP. Just how this protein works in the bloodstream is unclear. But what is clear is that oral health is a crucial component to maintaining a healthy heart, along with not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight. Gingivitis is reversible, but heart disease is often not.
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