Oral Health & Heart Risks

Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer in the U.S., and cardiovascular disease is the leading reason for death on death certificates. Stroke is a leading cause of disability. While routine healthcare is slowly changing, a “new medicine” is emerging that moves beyond the current “reactive-rather-than-preventive” model. Many fine doctors are busy treating illness, with […]

It used to be that people thought of the mouth as a separate world—disconnected from the rest of the body—in any meaningful way. Periodic scraping and “cleaning” and gum care, with a few X-Rays, were all that were needed for a healthy mouth. Even gum infections were “local” conditions. The rest of the body was,

How do oral bacteria cause problems? Heart disease is not periodontal disease located in your chest. Patients are often surprised to learn that high-risk oral germs, such as the ones that cause gum disease, enter the blood stream. Identified as bacterial “attackers,” they create a serious threat to arterial health that can lead to heart

Our doctors focus on risk that centers around 11 specific oral bacteria that research says can move through bone and gum tissue into our bloodstream, affecting overall health—even when patients don’t show signs of periodontal disease. That’s right. Some patients—whose mouths appear healthy—still have harmful bacteria that can affect overall health. Do You Know Your