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The Dental Care and Heart Connection: 1800Dentist.com

Oral hygiene is not only important to ward off conditions such as tooth decay, cavities and gum disease, but the practice is also essential to heart health. Plaque (the waste by-product of oral bacteria) is thought to be a big contributor to heart woes as the overflow of the component has been proven to increase the odds of developing heart issues.

Dental Plaque and Heart Health

1-800-DENTIST defines dental plaque as the "..sticky invisible film that accumulates on your teeth -- on the biting surfaces, in the spaces between the teeth, and along the gum line." The compound is comprised of over 400 types of bacterium and daily flossing and brushing are the best ways to reduce build up. Those simple acts of hygiene will not only improve oral health, but reduce the chances of an individual suffering a heart attack.

According to research entitled "Periodontal Microbiota and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness" (Moise Desvarieux, et. al) there is a direct correlation between dental plaque, tooth decay and heart disease. "Blood flow through the arteries that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle slows," causing heart attacks. The specific bacterium that creates this arterial plaque has a link to tooth decay causing bacteria.

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Dental Work Can Cause Heart Attacks

British researchers have found a short-lived correlation between invasive dental procedures (such as dental surgery) and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the team has suggested that invasive dental work can raise the level of oral bacteria that is normally fine in a healthy mouth. Surgery may be required to properly treat advanced periodontal disease and that can increase the odds of the oral bacteria entering the bloodstream and potentially lead to heart issues.

The research supporting these findings was conducted by an analysis of the U.S. Medicaid records of approximately 1,200 patients. The study group had a history of both invasive dental treatments and suffering from a stroke or a heart attack during 2002 and 2006. After analyzing the data, the research team unearthed the oral health/heart connection and found that the potential risk for heart related health issues naturally decreased six months after any surgery was administered.

Brush Teeth For Improved Heart Health

A study published in the British Medical Journal has indicated a relationship between frequency of tooth brushing, cardiovascular disease and inflammatory markers in blood. Lack of brushing can increase the chance of developing periodontal disease, which in turn has been associated with a 19 percent chance increase of developing heart disease. Once again, arterial plaque build up is assumed to be the cause of this alliance.

This research focused in on 12,000 Scottish residents who admitted to how often they brushed their teeth and scientists analyzed their health for a period of eight years. Individuals who fessed up to rarely or never brushing their teeth had a 70 percent increased risk of a heart attack, stroke or other heart issue in comparison to individuals who brushed twice a day.

1-800-DENTIST recommends that individuals brush twice a day, floss once a day and get regular dental exams and cleanings every six months. The process will allow a professional dentist to remove dental plaque and hard to remove dental tartar. The removal of those elements on a daily basis combined with the professional touch can help individuals decrease their odds of developing health and dental problems down the road. Consumers looking to

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