Heart disease and gum disease have been linked, and if you aren’t diligent about your oral hygiene and suffer from gingivitis, or the more serious periodontal disease, you could be setting yourself up for a heart attack.

According to research, heart disease, and gum disease share one thing in common, inflammation. If your gums are swollen, red and often bleed, you are probably suffering from gum disease, or the often incurable, periodontitis.

People who don’t brush twice or floss once each day are lacking in good oral hygiene. According to Dr. Jeffry Gilmor, avoiding the brush and floss can cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Bacteria cause gum disease and tooth decay. If you don’t clean your mouth after you eat or when you get up in the morning, that bad bacteria will multiply converting to acids that will erode the enamel on your teeth. That sticky film on your teeth after you eat and when you wake up in the morning is called plaque. If left on its own, plaque will turn into tartar, which can only be removed by a Dentist in Glenview.

That plaque will invade your bloodstream. Once in your blood stream it can attach itself to the walls of your arteries and your blood vessels. If that occurs, you are in the high risk category when it comes to heart problems. Plaque in your blood vessels can also lead to constriction. This means that your blood is not reaching your heart, which could cause a stroke.

Heart disease and gum disease are connected. If you follow the Glen Dental Blog, you will know that your mouth is the gateway to the rest of your body and if it isn’t healthy, neither are you.

The best way to prevent gum disease and tooth decay is to brush twice, floss once a day, eat a healthy diet, and schedule regular dental appointments with your dentist in Glenview.

If you want to avoid the heart disease and gum disease connection, call or click for a checkup today.