Getting Down to the Heart of the Matter: How Oral Health Affects Your Heart

by B. Chancey on October 8th, 2010 at 7:00 am

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. The CDC reports that this year, heart disease will cost the U.S. over 3 billion dollars in health care services, medications and lost productivity. Every year, a whopping 785,000 Americans have their first heart attack, while another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks have another attack.

Many of us know heart disease is serious, and those who have it can lower the risk of dying from it or needing heart bypass surgery or angioplasty by lowering their cholesterol and blood pressure levels; however, there is another lesser known way to ward off a heart attack: by keeping your teeth clean!

Brushing your teeth twice a day helps cardiovascular health. A recent study showed that individuals who brush their teeth at least twice a day were at a lowered risk for a heart attack, while those who brushed only once a day or less were considered high-risk.

It may seem a little strange that poor oral hygiene may hinder heart health, but there seems to be a direct correlation between oral health and heart disease. Poor oral hygiene leads to gum disease, which may turn into inflammation, a contributor to heart disease. Researchers found elevated signs of inflammation in individuals who did not brush regularly, mainly C-reactive protein. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein that rises in the blood in response to inflammation throughout the body.

Both the American Heart Association and the CDC published a joint scientific statement in 2003 after reviewing the evidence of the connection between CRP and coronary heart disease and stroke. Now, researchers are urging dentists to look out for oral infections in their patients since evidence shows that oral health directly affects the heart.

Follow these simple brushing guidelines for a healthier heart:

Brush your teeth twice a dayHold the tooth brush tilted an angle of 45 degrees towards your gumsClean the upper teeth firstBrush 3 teeth at a time, making your way around your whole mouthUse a back and forth motionBrush the gums gently to remove bacteria from lodged foodBrush the tongue

Oral-Assist? relieves pain associated with tooth and gum abscesses, plus promotes oral health.

View the original article here

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