Understanding How an Unhealthy Mouth May Affect the Whole Body

Numerous studies link heart disease to common bacteria associated with periodontal disease. The American Academy of Periodontology states that people with periodontal disease have nearly twice the risk of coronary artery disease. Research is ongoing, but for now, aggressively treating periodontal disease may help you reduce the risks of some common and serious diseases such as the following:

• Heart disease: Patients with valvular heart disease (rheumatic heart disease, congenital valve problems, previous endocarditis or infection involving a heart valve, and previous valve replacement) are at risk of valve infection. Bacteria can enter the tiny scrapes and cuts that are inevitable during dental or surgical procedures and end up on the heart valves. If you have any of these conditions, or if you’re not sure, see your medical doctor before having dental work done, because you may need to take antibiotics prior to dental work. A study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association studied 657 people without known heart disease. It found that people who had higher blood levels of certain disease-causing bacteria in the mouth were more likely to have atherosclerosis in the carotid artery in the neck.
• Diabetes: The Center for Disease Control estimates that 95 percent of Americans with diabetes have periodontal disease due to the increased susceptibility of diabetics to infections. Diabetic infections can be more serious and harder to treat, so diabetics need to be especially diligent about seeing their dentists every six months.
• Respiratory infection: Researchers have found that bacteria that inhabit the oral cavity can be aspirated into the lung, causing respiratory diseases such as pneumonia. People with periodontal disease are especially susceptible, and this risk could be preventable for those already weakened by other diseases or those prone to respiratory infection.