It’s well-known that daily brushing and flossing, eating the right foods, and seeing your dentist regularly are key to optimal dental health. Considered preventative measures against gum disease and a slew of other oral health issues, taking proper care of teeth also spells good things for heart health. Numerous studies indicate teeth cleaning and gum disease treatment are helpful in the prevention of heart disease and stroke.

The staff at Dr. Robert Petrtyl in Cincinnati, OH emphasizes the potential link between gum disease and heart health and educate patients about this link whenever possible.

Check out what the general dentistry team wants you to know:

• Shared Risk Factors: Gum and heart disease share risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, and age. Both contribute to bodily inflammation and may point to why heart and mouth issues can occur at the same time.

• Artery Hardening: Bacteria in the mouth may enter the bloodstream through the gums if gums are unhealthy, which contributes to arterial hardening. Researchers have found mouth bacteria in artery plaques, suggesting that this bacteria binds to fatty plaques in the bloodstream and contributes to blood clot formation.

• Swollen Blood Cells: Another potential link between heart health and gum disease is the possibility of oral bacteria traveling through the system. One of the numerous ways the body responds to infection is through inflammation, and if mouth bacteria travels through the body, it may result in the same inflammation response. This causes blood cells to swell and the arteries to narrow.

Dental patients with existing heart conditions must alert their dentist, as a common mouth organism called Streptococcus Viridan can enter the bloodstream during dental treatment and reach the heart. This causes blood clot infections, which can travel to other organs, including the brain, liver and kidneys, resulting in stroke, heart damage and other serious health problems.

Schedule a teeth cleaning at Dr. Robert Petrtyl today to maintain good oral and overall health. For more on gum disease treatment and general dentistry services, please call (513) 554-4657 or visit the website.