One of the primary reasons to treat gum disease
is to preserve your teeth. Left untreated, gum disease results in
the loss of the bone supporting the teeth and eventually the teeth
will be lost. There are however other reasons for treating gum disease.
Periodontal diseases are basically infections, and the bacteria
from the periodontal pockets can spread through the bloodstream
throughout the body. Newer evidence has shown that these bacteria
can have effects on your general health. Heart Disease and Periodontal Disease We have known for a long time that bacteria may
affect the heart. Now there is a growing body of evidence suggesting
that people with periodontal disease, which is fundamentally a bacterial
infection, may be at more risk for heart disease. They may also
have nearly twice the risk of having a fatal heart attack than people
without periodontal disease.
While more research is needed to confirm how periodontal disease
may affect your heart, one possibility is that periodontal bacteria
enter the blood through the inflamed gums and cause small blood
clots that contribute to clogged arteries.
Whether or not you have heart disease it would seem prudent to make
sure your dentist has evaluated you for gum disease. Have gum disease
treated as soon as possible, if not to save your teeth perhaps to
save your heart! Diabetes and Periodontal Disease For many years we have known that diabetics are
more likely to have periodontal disease than non-diabetics.
Current research has shown that the relationship goes both ways.
Untreated periodontal disease may make it more difficult for diabetics
to control their blood sugar. In other words controlling periodontal
disease may help you to control your blood sugar.
Pregnancy and Periodontal Disease
Many risk factors contribute to mothers having babies that are born
prematurely at a low birthweight. It is common knowledge that smoking,
alcohol use, drug use and infections contribute to this problem.
Now evidence is mounting to suggest a new risk factor , periodontal
disease. Pregnant women who have periodontal disease may be 7 times
more likely to have a baby that is born prematurely and with low
birth weight. More research is needed but if you are planning to
become pregnant be sure to include a periodontal evaluation as part
of your pre-natal care. Healthy gums may lead to a healthier baby. Respiratory and Periodontal Disease It is possible that if you have periodontal disease
you may be at an increased risk for respiratory diseases. What we
know so far is that mouth infections like periodontal disease are
associated with an increased risk for respiratory infections. More
research is needed to understand this relationship but the association
seems clear.
