Heart disease is said to be claiming over 17 million victims all over the world. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of heart disease.Premature deaths due to heart disease can be avoided if risk factors are under control. Sadly not many people know that. With lifestyle changes these deaths can be avoided is good measure.
Hormones like adrenaline and cortisol cause a rise in heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, bad cholesterol and decrease in good cholesterol. This leads to narrowing of the arteries, which takes blood to the heart, thus creating an imbalance between the demand and supply of oxygen to the heart. When the obstruction is beyond 70 percent in the arteries, chest pain or angina starts. Total or 100 percent leads to heart attack. Globally about 30 percent of heart attack victims die within 2-3 minutes of the onset of pain.
Now, what has teeth got to do with Heart attack?
In the last decade, research in the field of dentistry, have found a link between Gum disease and Heart disease.Lot of studies have shown that people with gum disease are at greater risk of developing heart disease. This is so because the findings show a link between the narrowing of the arteries of the heart and gum disease.
When teeth are not properly taken care of, plaque from the food, bacteria waste products starts to stick to the teeth. Due to this the gum gets irritated and may bleed when brushed.This stage is known as gingivitis.If left in this condition, the gums swell and forms a pocket around the teeth. In this pockets further plaque collects and cannot be removed by toothbrush.This plaque later on hardens to form tartar.Over time the build up of tartar, leads to chronic periodontitis where the jaw is damaged and causes the teeth to loosen and fall out.
The bacteria that causes gum disease, is believed by researchers, to enter the blood stream and activate the immune system and make the artery walls of the heart to swell and narrowed.It is also believed that the bacteria enters the blood stream and directly attaches itself to the fatty deposits already present in the arteries and cause further narrowing of the arteries.It was also found that seven to eight types of oral bacteria were found in the plaque of diseased coronary arteries of a majority of patients. So the condition of one's teeth is also a risk factor for heart attack.
When there is gum disease, one can see the following:
1]Gums are red, swollen and tender.
2]They bleed on brushing.
3]Pus will be found between the gums and the teeth when pressed.
4]There is gap between the teeth and gums.
Bad smell in the mouth.
Proper and good oral hygiene is the best way to keep the gum disease away.Brush regularly and properly to remove plaque from the teeth. This ensures no build up of plaque and bacteria in the mouth.
Raghu NatrajanHormones like adrenaline and cortisol cause a rise in heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, bad cholesterol and decrease in good cholesterol. This leads to narrowing of the arteries, which takes blood to the heart, thus creating an imbalance between the demand and supply of oxygen to the heart. When the obstruction is beyond 70 percent in the arteries, chest pain or angina starts. Total or 100 percent leads to heart attack. Globally about 30 percent of heart attack victims die within 2-3 minutes of the onset of pain.
Now, what has teeth got to do with Heart attack?
When teeth are not properly taken care of, plaque from the food, bacteria waste products starts to stick to the teeth. Due to this the gum gets irritated and may bleed when brushed.This stage is known as gingivitis.If left in this condition, the gums swell and forms a pocket around the teeth. In this pockets further plaque collects and cannot be removed by toothbrush.This plaque later on hardens to form tartar.Over time the build up of tartar, leads to chronic periodontitis where the jaw is damaged and causes the teeth to loosen and fall out.
The bacteria that causes gum disease, is believed by researchers, to enter the blood stream and activate the immune system and make the artery walls of the heart to swell and narrowed.It is also believed that the bacteria enters the blood stream and directly attaches itself to the fatty deposits already present in the arteries and cause further narrowing of the arteries.It was also found that seven to eight types of oral bacteria were found in the plaque of diseased coronary arteries of a majority of patients. So the condition of one's teeth is also a risk factor for heart attack.
When there is gum disease, one can see the following:
1]Gums are red, swollen and tender.
2]They bleed on brushing.
3]Pus will be found between the gums and the teeth when pressed.
4]There is gap between the teeth and gums.
Bad smell in the mouth.
Proper and good oral hygiene is the best way to keep the gum disease away.Brush regularly and properly to remove plaque from the teeth. This ensures no build up of plaque and bacteria in the mouth.
No comments:
Post a Comment