How Your Gums Affect
Your Heart
Scientists are increasingly observing a connection between
oral health and heart conditions. In a study published in
the International Journal of Cardiology, researchers
looked at two groups of patients—those who had suffered a
recent heart attack and a control group—and found that the
heart patients had noticeably worse oral health compared
to the controls. This doesn’t prove that bad teeth and
gums caused the heart attacks, but it does indicate an
association between the two.
How might oral health affect the heart? In gingivitis, the
milder form of gum disease, infection leads to chronic
inflammation—gums are swollen, red and sometimes bleeding.
In periodontitis, the more severe form, the infection
affects the bones that support the teeth, leading to tooth
loss. In both cases, disease is caused by an accumulation
of bacteria, or plaque, in the gums. These organisms
release toxins that can circulate around the body.
In particular, the body’s arterial system may be affected.
Multiple studies, including a recent report in the Journal
of Clinical Periodontology, display a startling
correlation. The more severe the gum disease, the thicker
and harder the walls of the arteries. This is true even
for young, healthy adults with no other symptoms of heart
problems. Narrowing of the arteries (or atherosclerosis)
is a key component of heart disease.
But gum disease threatens more than your heart. In theory,
the toxins in plaque can cause harm wherever they go. In
fact, scientists are finding more and more links between
oral health and conditions such as diabetes, kidney
disease, preterm labor, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease,
and even certain types of cancer.
With deep cleaning and removal of bacterial buildup, gum
disease can be reversed—if it’s caught in the early
stages. The intriguing question is whether tending to
problems of the teeth and gums will benefit patients with
narrowing of the arteries.
A 2007 report in the New England Journal of Medicine noted
that patients in an intensive six-month program to treat
gum disease emerged not only with healthier gums but with
improved endothelial function—a reference to the lining of
the bleed vessels.
Too many of us neglect our gums and teeth. According to
the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research, more than 8% of Americans aged 20 to 64 have
periodontal disease. The American Academy of
Periodontology puts the number even higher—one in three
adults over 30. Good oral health will obviously help you
avoid tooth loss. And who knows? It might also be the way
to a healthy heart.
Parade Magazine, March 14, 2010
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