You already know that brushing and flossing is important for your smile. But did you also know that what happens to your smile can have a significant impact on the rest of your body as well?
Recent studies have shown that many serious health problems can be tied to gum disease. Among the biggest are:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Preterm and low birth deliveries
- Alzheimer’s Disease
While the specific relationship between gum disease and each of these health problems isn’t entirely understood yet, doctors and scientists do understand the basic relationship. And it all goes back to how gum disease changes your smile.
HOW GUM DISEASE CAN AFFECT YOUR HEALTH
Gum disease is caused by bacteria and plaque, which create pockets between your teeth and gums. These pockets act like doorways, letting bacteria and plaque into your bloodstream, and from there into other parts of your body.
At this point, you could almost think of your bloodstream as something like a mass transit system for trouble. This is particularly the case when it comes to heart disease. Just as bacteria and plaque create pockets in your gums by irritating your soft tissue, so they can also irritate your arterial wall, stimulating the production of protective plaque.
As this plaque builds up, it starts to act like a dam for blood flow. If enough of it accumulates, you just might find yourself on a collision course with a myocardial infarction—better known as a heart attack.
The relationship between gum disease and other health problems like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and preterm birth may be more mysterious, but mounting evidence suggest that a relationship does indeed exists.
Trillium Dental can help, though, and in our next post, we’ll talk about what exactly we’re doing to revitalize smiles and protect our patients’ overall health.
EFFECTIVE OPTIONS FOR TREATING GUM DISEASE
Gum disease can affect more than just your smile. It can also put you at greater risk for a wide range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and preterm and low birth deliveries.
But with regular dental visits to Trillium Dental and a commitment to brushing and flossing, you can help protect your smile and the rest of your body from gum disease and the threat it poses.
If you already have gum disease, though, simply spending more time at the bathroom sink may not be enough. That’s why Trillium Dental offers a range of services to help patients restore and revitalize their smiles.
Our periodontal services include:
- Root planning
- Gingival grafts
- Gingivectomies
- Crown lengthening
And because many of these treatments utilize our soft-tissue laser, they can be done with greater precision and comfort for our patients than ever before, leaving behind a healthier smile and helping to improve your body’s overall health.
You can find out more about any one of our periodontal services such as dental implants and teeth whitening by visiting our website or by scheduling a consultation visit with one of our doctors.