{"id":61,"date":"2019-01-12T17:22:55","date_gmt":"2019-01-12T17:22:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.applegatedentalpllc.com\/blog\/?p=61"},"modified":"2019-03-11T14:12:28","modified_gmt":"2019-03-11T14:12:28","slug":"gum-disease-in-west-seneca-is-bad-for-your-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.applegatedentalpllc.com\/blog\/gum-disease-in-west-seneca-is-bad-for-your-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Gum Disease in West Seneca is Bad For Your Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A fact that you have probably heard over and over again from different sources is that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S., so taking any action to lower your risk is always considered a good idea. For most people, this usually leads them to start exercising and alter their diet, both of which can have tangible benefits. However, there is something else that might be increasing your chances of having a heart attack or stroke that has nothing to do with what you eat or your genetics. Both the American Dental Association and the American Heart Association have recently acknowledged there is a definitive connection between gum disease <\/em>in West Seneca and heart disease. Why is this the case, and what can you do to protect yourself from both of these problems?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Everything is Connected<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the past decade or so, researchers have taken a much closer look at how oral\nhealth and overall health are connected, and the general consensus is that they\nare very <\/em>intertwined. In the case of\ngum disease and heart disease, for\nexample, studies have shown that when a person has gum disease, their risk for\nheart disease goes up by about 20%<\/em>. This\nis alarming in itself, but how can a problem in your mouth affect your heart?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer is something called the oral-systemic connection<\/em>. Basically, it says that pretty much\nanything in your mouth can travel everywhere else in your body. This is easy to comprehend when you think about\nsomething like digestion. Food enters the mouth, is broken down, and eventually it is introduced into the blood stream\nas energy, able to travel all throughout the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, this connection also means that harmful\nthings, like bacteria, can easily enter the body through the mouth as well.\nWhen gum disease bacteria is allowed to build\nup in the mouth, it can eventually enter the blood stream because the gums are\nvery vascular structures (meaning they contain a lot of blood vessels), and many\nscientists believe that it then causes inflammation that leads to a dangerous\nnarrowing of the arteries, making them more likely to become blocked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Protect Your Smile & Your Heart<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While this might seem like bad news on the surface, it\nactually has a positive side. Simply by taking care of your teeth and gums, you\ncan significantly reduce your risk for heart disease. Here are a few things you\ncan do to prevent the onset of gum disease:<\/p>\n\n\n\n