How are heart disease and other medical conditions related to gum (periodontal) disease?
Many people don’t know that gum (periodontal) disease can affect your overall health. Many studies have looked at the connection between periodontal disease and major medical conditions. They suggest that people with gum disease have a greater risk of systemic disease because the oral bacteria may travel through the blood stream to other organs and start a new infection. Periodontal disease can: • Contribute to the development of heart disease • Significantly increase the risk of stroke • Compromise the health of those that have diabetes or respiratory diseases • Increase a woman’s risk of having a preterm, low-birth weight baby by 7-8 times There is still a lot of research needed to completely understand the link between periodontal disease and systemic diseases, but there is enough research to support the fact that infections in the mouth can cause problems to your general health. To ensure a healthy, disease-free mouth, we advise regular dental check-ups and cleanings, which include
