If your dentist says you have gingivitis, ask for a brushing and flossing demonstration to make sure you're doing both correctly, says Dr. But the connection is compelling enough that dentists (and many doctors) say it's yet another reason to be vigilant about preventing gum disease in the first place.ĭaily toothbrushing and flossing can prevent and even reverse an early stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis. To date, there's no proof that treating gum disease will prevent cardiovascular disease or its complications. A study testing a related compound called lipoxin in people with gum disease is currently under way. "If you can control one type of inflammation, you might be able to control another," he says. Hasturk's at the Forsyth Institute who was involved in the research. The findings highlight the potential connection between the two conditions, says Dr. The treatment not only prevented periodontal disease in the infected rabbits, but also lowered inflammation and atherosclerosis. Next, the researchers treated the rabbits with an oral topical liquid that contained resolvins, which are molecules derived from omega-3 fatty acids believed to help quell inflammation. Those rabbits developed atherosclerotic plaques that were less stable (and therefore more likely to cause a heart attack) and also had higher blood levels of inflammation than the rabbits that had not been exposed to the gum disease bacteria. Some of the rabbits were then infected with bacteria known to cause periodontal disease. Hasturk and her colleagues used rabbits fed cholesterol-rich diets as a model to mimic human heart disease. To explore the connections between oral and heart health, Dr. A topical liquid that helps resolve artery inflammation? Hasturk and colleagues suggests that unique compounds called resolvins show promise for treating inflammation-associated diseases such as periodontitis and atherosclerosis (see "A topical liquid that helps resolve artery inflammation?"). Quelling chronic inflammation has become a keen focus of medical research in recent years. But long-term (chronic) inflammation is a key contributor to many health problems, especially atherosclerosis. Acute inflammation - which involves an outpouring of immune cells that attack irritants and microbial invaders - fosters healing over the short term. Hatice Hasturk of the Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute, a not-for-profit research organization focused on oral health. "Periodontal disease increases the body's burden of inflammation," says periodontist Dr. Still there's a growing suspicion that gum disease may be an independent risk factor for heart disease. Shared risk factors, such as smoking or an unhealthy diet, may explain the association. Many people with heart disease have healthy gums, and not everyone with gum disease develops heart problems. But there may not be a direct connection. People with gum disease (also known as periodontal disease) have two to three times the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular event. Known as atherosclerosis, this fatty plaque is the hallmark of coronary artery disease. A completely different type of plaque - made of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in blood - can build up inside arteries. Gum disease begins when the sticky, bacteria-laden film dentists refer to as plaque builds up around teeth. How plaque on your teeth may be connected to plaque in your arteries.įor decades, researchers have probed the link between gum disease and cardiovascular health.
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