Dental Exams Can Prevent Heart Disease, Strokes and Diabetes
Hi, this is Dr. Robert Antolak from thegentledentist.com, in Shelby Township Michigan.
I’d like to discuss the relationship between the body’s overall health and the health of the mouth. It does make sense that the mouth is connected, obviously, to the rest of the body so there’s an interplay of actions between what happens in the month and the rest of the body.
Sometimes people don’t realize that the mouth and chewing is the first of the digestive process. You get food and we obviously chew our food. Then we have adequate saliva, that saliva contains enzymes that start breaking down the food products. It also lubricates the food so it can go down and be swallowed easily.
Another thing that’s important to know about this process is that the mouth contains bacteria. Enormous amounts of bacteria. When people have periodontal disease, or gum disease, that gum disease actually is in the bone. And it can get right into the bloodstream, from the gums.
Those bacteria can get into the bloodstream, and then it can form problems with diabetes, controlling the levels of blood sugars with diabetes. We find that when people have their gum disease treated, their insulin levels become more stabilized and so that’s healthy for them.
In addition to diabetes, there is heart disease too because periodontal disease is a chronic, long term infection that has profound effects on the body’s reaction to that chronic inflammation.
The body makes different proteins. These proteins can actually start adhering, making plaques on the arteries of the heart. So people who have long term, chronic, disease of the gums can actually start getting accumulations on the arteries, and hardening of the arteries. Also, the bacteria that’s in the bloodstream, can start accumulating onto these vessels, creating potential areas where strokes, and heart attacks can take place.
So,if you’re concerned about the health of your heart, please be concerned about the health of the soft tissues in your mouth. That means getting to the dentist and getting things checked out. Making sure that your gums are healthy and if they are healthy, then you know that you are going to have a better situation with controlling your diabetes, your heart, your potential for coronary heart disease, stroke and overall well-being.
Dental Exams Can Prevent Heart Disease, Strokes and Diabetes
So, please focus on that. Make yourself a commitment to living a healthy life style, eating well, having enough teeth in your mouth so you can chew well, and start this process of a healthy life style. If you’d like to do more for yourself, you can give our office a call at 586-247-3500. Thank you.