Gum Disease Effects on Systemic Health - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Gum Disease Effects on Systemic Health
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Dangers of Periodontal Disease
At the recent American Heart Association scientific sessions in Orlando, two very large studies amplified the increased risk of heart attack and stroke caused by deep pockets and bleeding as well as pointing out the benefits of having your teeth cleaned to reduce these risks.
What causes periodontal disease and what is the best way to treat it
Since periodontal disease affects almost 50% of the population, we are often asked what causes it and what is the best way to treat it?
Periodontal disease is caused by millions of specific aggressive bacteria that infect the gums and bone around your teeth and then get into your bloodstream to affect your health. Genetics, smoking, diabetes and the way our teeth fit together can amplify our reaction to these bacteria.
Identifying and eliminating the specific bacteria causing the periodontal infection is the best way to cure or control the disease and save your teeth.
We were among the first to use the phase contrast microscope and culturing over 30 years ago to identify these bacteria.
The microscope allows us to actually see the amount and type of disease causing bacteria to better diagnose and treat the infection. We have analyzed over 200,000 microscopic smears and 4000 cultures making us among the most experienced in the world in treating the specific infection.
What distinguishes our office is that we identify and eliminate the actual bacterial cause of periodontal disease, not just treat the resultant pockets. This is the best way to save your teeth and protect your health.
health effects of gum disease
At the recent American Heart Association scientific sessions in Orlando, two very large studies amplified the increased risk of heart attack and stroke caused by deep pockets and bleeding as well as pointing out the benefits of having your teeth cleaned to reduce these risks.
In the first study, 7999 patients with gum disease in Sweden were evaluated. Those with a higher number of deep pockets had a 53% increased risk of heart attack. Those with the highest incidence of gum bleeding had a 2.1 increased risk of stroke.
In the second study, 102,620 patients in Taiwan were followed for seven years. Those who had their teeth professionally cleaned at least once per year had a 24% lower risk of heart attack and a 13% reduced risk of stroke compared to those who had their teeth cleaned once or less in two years.
These huge studies by physicians may be the tipping point that we have irrefutable evidence for the connection between gum disease and systemic health. In addition to these studies, we have scientific evidence for 21 different conditions, listed below, that are affected by periodontal infection and the resulting inflammation involving virtually every organ system in the body.
