Oral Health: An Indicator of Heart Disease and Diabetes

Posted on : July 22, 2014  By : Wellness

Visiting a dentist ensures more than just a beautiful smile. Many diseases first exhibit symptoms orally, meaning that your dentist could be the one who spots the early signs of conditions such as diabetes.

Many studies suggest that the health of your mouth is a strong indication of the condition of your body as a whole. For example, when your mouth is healthy, the chances are your overall health is good, if you have poor oral health, it may signify other underlying health problems.

The Academy of General Dentistry expresses that there is a relationship between periodontal (gum) disease and health complications such as a strokes and heart disease. Studies have also shown that women with gum disease also show higher incidences of pre-term births (born before 37 weeks) and babies born with low-birth weights.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, said that: “The link between oral health and overall body health is well documented and backed by robust scientific evidence. Despite this, only one in six people realises that people with gum disease may have an increased risk of stroke or diabetes. And only one in three is aware of the heart disease link.”

Scientific evidence has shown that more than 90 % of all systemic diseases (diseases involving many organs or the whole body) have oral manifestations, including swollen gums, mouth ulcers, dry mouth and excessive gum problems. Periodontal complications have been linked to diabetes, leukaemia, mouth cancer,  pancreatic cancer, heart disease, kidney disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

However, maintaining good oral health may actually prevent certain conditions from developing. Maintain good oral hygiene has been shown to decrease your chance of experiencing heart disease.

Look out for gums that bleed when you brush your teeth, blood in your saliva, red, swollen or sore gums, bad breath (halitosis) wobbly and loose teeth, teeth with abscesses and tooth loss.  If you do notice any of these symptoms, please consult a dentist.

If you are looking for a dentist in Airdrie, Alberta, please do not hesitate to contact us here at Apple Wellness Center, as we are currently accepting new patients. At Apple Wellness Dental we provide both cosmetic dentistry and general dentistry, and we keep our services affordable for every patient.

Posted in : Dentistry