Discover How Avoiding Gum Disease Can Protect Your Heart Health

Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from gum disease and don’t even know it? It’s highly possible considering it is one of the most common dental problems dentists see. If you think it is only negatively affecting your oral health, guess again. Your overall well-being is at risk, especially, your heart. Find out how periodontal therapy in Belchertown can help restore your gum health and ways to avoid developing gum issues in the first place.

What is Gum Disease?

Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease attacks the gums and causes them to become inflamed. When plaque and tartar build around the gum line, it causes harmful toxins to break down your gums and result in the formation of gum pockets. This detachment from your teeth makes it easier for bacteria and food particles to become trapped, increasing the likeliness for inflammation, infection, and bleeding gums.

What Are the Stages of Gum Disease?

When you first notice that your gums look red and puffy, it is safe to say that you are most likely experiencing the early stage of gum disease, which is known as gingivitis. With regular dental checkups and cleanings and proper oral hygiene practiced at home, this can usually be reversed.

Should gum disease be left untreated, you can develop periodontitis, which is a more advanced form of periodontal disease. The infection will begin to spread beneath the gum line and break down the bone and teeth. This can lead to bone and tooth loss, as well as additional health problems due to the infection and inflammation entering the bloodstream.

How Can Gum Disease Cause Problems for My Heart?

Your body can experience a wide array of negative effects as a result of gum disease. One of the most common areas to be impacted is your heart. When you ingest the bacteria in your mouth, it enters your bloodstream and when combined with inflammation, any plaque that exists will build on the arteries. When this happens, your blood flow becomes inadequate, resulting in a blockage.

Everything from a heart attack to a stroke can occur, and individuals have been known to develop diabetes as a result.

How Can I Avoid These Problems and Protect My Gums and Heart?

If you want to improve your gum health, the following steps can help:

• Maintain good oral hygiene (brush twice a day for two minutes and floss in-between your teeth at least once a day to remove bacteria and food particles)
• Rinse with an antimicrobial mouthwash to flush out anything left behind that brushing and flossing missed
• Eat a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet and avoid sugary, starchy foods, as they can lead to bacterial breeding and possible tooth decay or gum disease
• Keep your regularly scheduled dental checkups and cleanings (every six months)

Should you develop gum disease and require periodontal therapy, your dentist in Belchertown can perform a scaling and root planing procedure that removes plaque and tartar beneath the gum line and smooths out the tooth’s root to encourage healthy reattachment. It is likely you’ll need to visit your dentist more often than the traditional six-month appointment, so make sure you keep to those visits.

Your teeth aren’t the only aspects of your mouth you need to keep clean. Pay close attention to your gums, and if you begin to notice any redness, puffiness, or bleeding, schedule an appointment with your dentist.

About the Author
Gum disease is a serious problem that millions of adults in the United States face every day. Keeping this information in mind, Dr. Mark Medaugh and his team at Valley Dentists of Belchertown offer periodontal therapy to restore gum health and lessen the chances of a patient developing additional health-related problems. Dr. Medaugh’s extensive educational and professional background make him a dedicated dental professional who can diagnose and treat all types of problems while providing outstanding results. Earning his DDS degree from the University of Pennsylvania as a Pierre Fauchard Scholar, he enjoys helping his patients achieve healthy, more beautiful smiles. To find out how periodontal therapy can give you back your smile and confidence, contact us at (413) 323-4335.